Apple’s first Pro iPhone just turned vintage: Here’s why it was special

iPhone 11 Pro, Apple’s first ‘Pro’ iPhone and the first to feature a triple camera setup, is now classified as vintage.

The iPhone 11 Pro marked a major turning point for Apple. Launched in 2019, it was the company’s first iPhone to carry the ‘Pro’ branding and the first to feature a triple camera setup, combining a wide, ultra-wide, and 2x telephoto lens. Until then, iPhones had stuck to dual-camera systems. However, this Pro model has now been officially classified as vintage by Apple, joining several other products, including an Apple Watch model.

iPhone 11 Pro was the first iPhone to feature a triple camera setup. (Unsplash)

By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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Here is what vintage and obsolete mean

Apple uses two terms to indicate how old a product is. Vintage means it has been five years since the product was last available for sale in the market. Obsolete means the product has crossed the seven-year mark since it was discontinued. Having said that, obsolete products are no longer serviced by Apple, while vintage products can still be repaired, subject to parts availability.

The new products added to Apple’s vintage list include the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Next up is the Apple Watch Series 5, followed by the 13-inch MacBook Air with an Intel chipset from 2020, the iPad Air 3 cellular model, and the iPhone 8 Plus 128GB storage model.

Why was the iPhone 11 Pro a special iPhone?

As mentioned, it was Apple’s first Pro model and introduced several firsts. For starters, it brought an ultra-wide-angle lens to the iPhone. While the iPhone XS, iPhone X, and earlier Plus models featured a telephoto lens, the iPhone 11 Pro was the first to introduce an ultra-wide-angle lens, alongside the iPhone 11. This added an entirely new perspective to iPhone photography.

It also introduced several premium finishes to the iPhone lineup, including a matte glass back. Yes, the matte finish seen on iPhones today was first introduced with the iPhone 11 Pro (glass). To differentiate between premium and non-premium models, Apple continued with a glossy back on the iPhone 11, while opting for a matte coating on the iPhone 11 Pro. The phone also debuted a unique green colourway. Additionally, it offered significantly better battery life compared to the iPhone XS and was widely regarded as one of the most refined iPhones Apple had ever made.

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