I’ve had an inquiry from a worried industrial customer, asking whether the introduction of the Pi 5 will mean that Pi 4 will be obsolete. He is worried that Raspberry Pi will now discontinue the Pi 4.

The answer is a clear no.

Raspberry Pi are very aware that industrial customers need stability and the ability to rely on a product being available in the long run. They still support some customers with the Raspberry Pi 1B+, even though it is not recommended for new designs.

On this official Raspberry Pi site, you can read the following obscolescence statement:

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B will remain in production until at least January 2031

Raspberry Pi has negotiated long-term contracts with Broadcom, the SoC supplier, to ensure that you can continue to rely on your supply of the Raspberry Pi model of your choice. Please see further below for a complete list which I’ve compiled of the currently available Pis and their obsolescence statements.

Notes

On the Raspberry Pi product page, the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B is hidden (Button “Show older products”) and marked as not recommended for new designs.

The obsolescence statement for Raspberry Pi 2 Model B states:

Raspberry Pi 2 Model B will remain in production until at least January 2026

As you can see there is also a warning symbol for products which are end-of-life. This symbol is not present in any product as of the time I’m writing this.

Which products have been announced as EOL by Raspberry Pi?

To my knowledge, so far only four products have been announced as being EOL by Raspberry Pi:

• The original Raspberry Pi 1 Model B – this has been superseded by the Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+
• The Raspberry Pi USB WiFi Dongle: End of Life was announced 8 January 2018 (easily replaced by other off-the shelf products)
• The Camera Module v1 – this has been superseded by Camera Module v2 and v3
• The Camera Module v1 NOIR – this has been superseded by Camera Module v2 NOIR and v3 NOIR

Obsolescence statement overview (as of 19.10.2023) for Raspberry Pi products

Important Note: these statements are worded as “until at least” – which means that, if Raspberry Pi still has demand on these products, and the possibility to manufacture them, they will continue to do so!

Industrial modules and accessories

• Compute Module 4 will remain in production until at least January 2031 (source)
• Compute Module 4S will remain in production until at least January 2031 (source) – note: this is a “drop-in replacement” for Compute Module 1 to 3 based products. It will require software adjustments, and possibly Z-height considerations, and thermal considerations. We can support you with this.
• Compute Module 3+ will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Compute Module 3 will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source), marked as not recommended for new designs
• Compute Module 1 will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source), marked as not recommended for new designs
• Compute Module 4 IO Board will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Compute Module 4 Antenna Kit will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Compute Module 3+ Development Kit: no statement (source)
• Compute Module 1/3/3+ IO Board: no statement (source)
• Raspberry Pi Debug Probe will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source)

Computers

• Raspberry Pi Zero will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source)
• Raspberry Pi Zero W will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source)
  • note: the Pi Zero WH is a variant of the Pi Zero W with a header which has been soldered in, availability is therefore the same
• Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 1 Model A+ will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+ will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 2 Model B will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source), marked as not recommended for new designs
• Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 3 Model B will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 4 Model B will remain in production until at least January 2031 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 4 Desktop Kit will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source) – note this is a kit containing a Pi 4, power supply, HDMI cables, etc. – as an industrial customer you usually would not purchase this but a Raspberry Pi 4, which will be available until at least January 2031, as stated above.
• Raspberry Pi 400 unit will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 400 Personal Computer Kit will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source) – note this includes the Raspberry Pi 400 unit, a power supply, mouse and micro HDMI to standard HDMI cable.
• Raspberry Pi 5 – TBA, unknown (source) – note there is no “Raspberry Pi 5 Model B”, it’s just called Raspberry Pi 5

Microcontrollers and microcontroller based systems

• RP2040: Raspberry Pi understands the value to customers of long term availability of product and therefore aims to continue supply for as long as practically possible. We expect RP2040 to remain in production until at least January 2041. (source)
• Raspberry Pi Pico series will remain in production until at least January 2034 (source) – this refers to both Pico, Pico W, Pico H and Pico WH (the latter being header variants of the former ones)

Cameras and Displays

• Raspberry Pi Global Shutter Camera will remain in production until at least January 2032 (source)
• Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source)
• Raspberry Pi Camera Module 2 will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Raspberry Pi High Quality Camera will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source)
• Raspberry Pi Touch Display will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)

Add-on boards

• Raspberry Pi Build HAT will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• PoE+ HAT will remain in production until at least January 2027 (source)
• Raspberry Pi PoE HAT: no statement (source) marked as not recommended for new designs – superseded by PoE+ HAT
• Raspberry Pi TV HAT: no statement (source)
• Sense HAT will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Raspberry Pi DAC+ will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Raspberry Pi DAC Pro will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Raspberry Pi DigiAMP+ will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)
• Raspberry Pi Codec Zero will remain in production until at least January 2028 (source)

Power supplies and Cables

• Raspberry Pi 15W USB-C Power Supply will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 27W USB-C Power Supply: no statement yet (no source yet)
• Raspberry Pi 12.5W Micro USB Power Supply will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 1, 2 and 3 Power Supply: no statement (source) – marked as not recommended for new designs – superseded by Raspberry Pi 12.5W Micro USB Power Supply
• Raspberry Pi Build HAT Power Supply: no statement (source)
• Raspberry Pi micro HDMI to standard HDMI (A/M) cable: no statement (source)
• Mini HDMI Male to HDMI Female Adapter will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source) – note this is useful for Pi Zero series designs
• Mini HDMI Male to HDMI Female Cable will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source)
• Mini HDMI® to HDMI® Cable will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source)
• USB A/Male to Micro USB/Male cable will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source)
• Micro USB/Male to USB A/Female cable will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source) – note this is useful for Pi Zero sieres designs
• USB Micro-B to USB-C Adapter: no statement (source)

Cases

• Raspberry Pi 5 Case: to be done (no source yet)
• Raspberry Pi 4 Case: no statement (source)
• Raspberry Pi 3 Case: no statement (source)
• Raspberry Pi A+ Case: no statement (source)
• Raspberry Pi Zero Case: no statement (source)
• Raspberry Pi 4 Case Fan will remain in production until at least January 2026 (source)
• Raspberry Pi 5 Active Cooler: to be done (no source yet)

Peripherals

• Raspberry Pi Debug Probe will remain in production until at least January 2030 (source)
• Raspberry Pi Keyboard and Hub: no statement (source)
• Raspberry Pi Mouse: no statement (source)
• Raspberry Pi USB WiFi Dongle: End of Life was announced 8 January 2018 (source)

Recommendations which Raspberry Pi products to use for developing new industrial products

Having this previous list in mind, here is my recommendation for new industrial designs:

• If you want to design an industrial product with the Compute Module, choose CM4 – I would not recommend to do CM4S designs, or CM3+ designs due to the obsolete form factor. Existing CM1-CM3+ designs can continue to be supported by the CM4S.
• If you want to design something with the Zero form factor, use the Pi Zero 2 W
• If you want to design a device with a full HDMI port, and lower heat emissions, use the Pi 3B+
• If you need more power and two HDMI ports (e.g. digital signage on two screens), use the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
• If you need even more power and the longest availability which is possible, use the Raspberry Pi 5

Note: if you need a design without radio (to avoid additional compliance costs), WiFi and Bluetooth can be switched off in software – speak to your certification partner, whether you can also use a Raspberry Pi 3B or 3B+ instead of Raspberry Pi 2, in case you need a multicore system.

Also consider which add-ons you are using for your designs (e.g. the PoE+ HAT, or the CM4 antenna kit) and their obsolescence statements. Some have replacement products, for example the 15W USB C power supply can be replaced by the 27W USB C power supply.

Consulting and industrial support by pi3g

We are a European Raspberry Pi reseller and Coral AI hardware distributor. We are experienced with serving industrial customers, and supporting them with their special requirements. If you want to design-in Raspberry Pi computers or microcontrollers into your product, you can always talk to us for advice and support.

We also offer software and hardware development services focused on these embedded solutions.

Summary

Raspberry Pi is a great SBC and microcontroller platform to choose for industrial designs – they have a vibrant community, very solid software support and great documentation. They cater to the industrial community, which has been a huge focus of Raspberry Pi development and commercial efforts, by providing long availability on their products. Talk to us today to find out if Raspberry Pi products are a fit for your project.