According to a memo obtained by MacRumors, Apple today informed Apple Authorized Service Providers that it will be adding the third-generation Apple TV and Apple AA Battery Charge to its “Vintage” products list on October 31st. Happy Halloween, third-generation Apple TV and AA battery charger!
Introduced in July 2010, the Apple Battery Charger was priced at $29 and included six rechargeable AA batteries for use with the original Apple Wireless Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse for the Mac.
The third-generation Apple TV was released in March 2012 and many third-party apps have already phased out support for the device. The third-generation model is also the last Apple TV that does not run tvOS, and thus lacks access to the App Store.
In the past, vintage Apple products were no longer eligible for repairs at the Genius Bar or at Apple Authorized Service Providers, but Apple now provides service for up to seven years on vintage products, subject to parts availability.
MacDailyNews Take: Those Apple rechargeable batteries never seemed to hold a charge very well vs. disposable Duracell AA batteries. We still have a couple AA-powered Apple Wireless Keyboards, that won’t give up the ghost in which said Duracells seem to last a very long time. As long as they keep click-clacking away, we’ll keep using them.
Please help support MacDailyNews. Click or tap here to support our independent tech blog. Thank you!
I bought two of the Apple AA Battery Chargers, with batteries when they came out, destined mostly for my Apple Keyboard and a Fender/Roland electric guitar that required the AAs. When the batteries started to give out, I bought some Duracel Rechargeables and kept on going. I like the form factor of the Apple Battery Chargers: they fit in the guitar case.
Still using the battery charger (with different batteries). Simple and very accurate in determining if batteries have reached the end of their useful life …
I used a 3rd gen tv until very recently. Apple kept updating its software to stay current with the tv+ streaming service. It’s a simple and effective “portal” for tv+ (including add-ons like the Paramount+ and Showtime bundle). Also still worked with Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Plus AirPlay to show stuff from my iPad and iPhone. Great example of long-term value of Apple products for customers.
I’ve upgraded to the “HD” tv (with A8) that I bought used on eBay for $80. Apple still sells it as new with that new Siri Remote, so it won’t be “vintage” for a LONG time. I’ll keep using my old (excellent) Panasonic HDTV. I don’t need to go 4K and watch more TV! 😵💫
Yeah those batteries were not good at all
Panasonic Eneloop batteries are the go and if you want to have a real long last lasting rechargeable then I recommend the black label ones. The recharging capacity goes for years and years. Mine are still going strong after seven years…and that’s the white and blue batteries.
Just a quick reference to MDN about Duracells that there have been press reports about these batteries leaking.
I do some work in educational technology (mostly k-8 schools), and the 3rd generation Apple TVs already had more apps than schools want. Mostly, schools just want a simple device for Airplay mirroring of teacher and student contact to LCD projectors and HD/4K TVs. As the writing was on the wall that schools would have to purchase the complete overkill Apple TV gen 4 and beyond, a whole lot of lustre for Apple products has been lost. Chromebooks are become more popular as student devices.
And HDMI-based “Airplay stick” for $30-40 would be ideal, but I just don’t see Apple giving a shit about small schools anymore. .