Apple drops support for older iPads and Apple Watches in OS updates
▼ Summary
– watchOS 27 and iPadOS 27 will not run on older devices, dropping support for more device generations than in previous years.
– Apple is dropping support for four generations of Apple Watch models in watchOS 27.
– The update will only be available on Apple Watch Series 10 and above, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and above, and Apple Watch SE 3.
– The Apple Watch Series 9, which is barely three years old, will not be compatible with watchOS 27.
If you’re holding onto an older Apple Watch or iPad, now might be the time to consider an upgrade. With the release of watchOS 27 and iPadOS 27, Apple has made its most aggressive cut yet to device compatibility, leaving several recent models behind.
Apple typically phases out older hardware with each major software release, but this year’s cull is notably deeper. In the case of watchOS 27, support is limited exclusively to the Apple Watch Series 10 and later, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and newer, and the Apple Watch SE 3. That means even a relatively recent Apple Watch Series 9 , a device barely three years old , will not be able to run the new operating system. Owners of the original Apple Watch SE are also left out in the cold.
Similarly, iPadOS 27 brings a reduced list of compatible tablets, dropping several generations that were supported by previous updates. This shift signals a more aggressive push from Apple to encourage users to adopt its latest hardware, particularly as the company continues to refine its software with features that demand more processing power and newer chips.
For those still using an affected device, the decision is clear: you can either stick with the current OS version and miss out on future updates, or upgrade to a newer model to stay current. As Apple’s ecosystem evolves, the window of support for older devices appears to be narrowing.
(Source: The Verge)
