Apple Cuts Five Apple Watch Models From watchOS 27 Over Performance Demands

*Apple ended support for the Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, SE 2, and original Ultra to meet power and performance requirements for new features.*

The Models Affected

Apple announced that the Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, SE (second generation), and the first Apple Watch Ultra will not run watchOS 27. These devices will receive only basic security updates from now on.

The change removes three years of expected software support in a single release, a sharper break than prior watchOS updates.

Stated Reason

Cait Dooley, Apple Watch and Health product marketing manager, told TechRadar that performance requirements drove the decision. “With every software release across every single one of our platforms, we always want to ensure that you have the best experience, so we make power and performance a priority,” Dooley said.

The new features in watchOS 27, including updated Siri capabilities, require the higher baseline the company set for the cutoff.

Scope of the Change

The five excluded models span releases from 2020 through 2022. Newer hardware will receive the full update. Apple has not indicated whether any of the dropped models will gain limited subsets of the new features through other means.

Why It Matters

The move compresses the support window for recent hardware and signals that Apple is willing to accelerate obsolescence when new AI-driven features demand stronger silicon. Owners of the affected watches now face an earlier choice between staying on older software or replacing the device.

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Sources:

• 9to5Mac
• MacRumors

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