We have some bad news from WWDC 2026: Apple is leaving a whole bunch of older Apple Watches behind. watchOS 27, launching this fall (developer beta today and public beta in July), will not be compatible with five models.
The specific models that will not receive the software update:
- Apple Watch SE 2
- Apple Watch Series 6
- Apple Watch Series 7
- Apple Watch Series 8
- Apple Watch Ultra (1st gen)
That means they won’t get the new Siri AI and its conversational and contextual awareness features, leaving the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 2 and 3 as the only six smartwatches that will support iOS 27. That’s still a bummer for owners of the older models; the SE 2, Series 8, and first-gen Ultra came out only three years ago in 2022.
It also means those five smartwatches that have effectively reached end of life will not get the new “dynamic app grid” (below) that gives you shortcuts to six apps, perimenopause and menopause support, a new index and thumb tap gesture that lets you select a widget in a Smart Stack, Spanish language support for Workout Buddy, and improved accuracy for indoor runs and walks.
Apple’s watchOS 27 preview site didn’t list the Apple Watch Series 9 as supported when this story was first published. Apple confirmed to Gizmodo that it was a mistake and the website would be updated.
This article was updated to include a screenshot showing Apple finally updated its preview website to list the Apple Watch Series 9 as a compatible device.
Read the full article here
