Apple says older Watches will miss the next software update

At WWDC earlier this month, Apple unveiled the new generation of Siri as part of Apple Intelligence, but it also confirmed that watchOS 27 will not be available on several older Apple Watch models. The unsupported devices are Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, the second-generation Apple Watch SE, and the original Apple Watch Ultra.

That means owners of those watches will not get the new Siri AI features and will be limited to security updates and basic support. The decision drew criticism because some of the dropped models are not especially old, especially the original Ultra, which launched as a premium product, and the Series 8, which was until recently one of Apple’s main models.

In response to questions from TechRadar, Kate Dolan, Product Marketing Manager for Apple Watch and Health, gave Apple’s official explanation. She said Apple always tries to ensure the best experience in each new software release, and that power and performance are top priorities. According to Dolan, Apple reviews every year which devices can deliver the experience required for new features, especially advanced AI functions.

Dolan said the new watchOS features, including Siri AI and a new tap gesture, work best on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, Ultra 2 and later, and SE 3. That suggests the older hardware cannot meet the performance demands of the new system, even though Apple did not specify the exact bottleneck.

Apple emphasized that the older watches will still work with iPhones running the latest software and will continue to receive security updates, but users who want the new Siri experience on the wrist will need newer hardware.