When Apple announced watchOS 27 last week, the first thing people noticed was device compatibility. Apple will end support for multiple older Apple Watch models this year.
In an interview with tech radar Cait Dooley, Apple Watch and Health Products Marketing Manager, provided more details about watchOS 27 compatibility.
Is watchOS 27 compatible with Apple Watch?
As we reported last week, watchOS 27 ends support for Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, and Series 8. We’re also discontinuing Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and 1st generation Apple Watch Ultra.
Here is the complete list of Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 27:
Dooley said this decision stems from the goal of ensuring users have the “best experience” no matter which Apple Watch model they use. This year, that meant cutting back on compatibility somewhat.
However, Dooley emphasized that users with older Apple Watch models can still pair their devices with iPhones running newer versions of iOS.
“With every software release across all of our platforms, we always want to give our customers the best experience possible, and we prioritize power and performance.
“Great new features in watchOS, like SIri AI and new tap gesture capabilities, work best with the processing power of Apple Watch Series 9 and later, Ultra 2 and later, and SE 3. Older devices can still pair with an iPhone running the latest software and continue to receive security updates, so you can continue to get a great Apple Watch experience.”
watchOS 27 brings several new features to Apple Watch, including Siri AI with a dedicated app. There’s also a new dynamic app grid, improvements to Workout Buddy, and more.
To learn more about what’s new in watchOS 27 for Apple Watch, check out our complete guide here. watchOS 27 is currently available to developers for beta testing. A public beta will be released in July, followed by a release to everyone in the fall.
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