Why watchOS 27 Leaves Some Apple Watches Behind

Apple explains why five older Apple Watch models will not get watchOS 27.

Apple recently announced that watchOS 27 will not support five older Apple Watch models. These models are the Series 6, 7, 8, SE 2, and the original Ultra. They will only receive basic security updates in the future.

Cait Dooley, Apple's product marketing manager, said performance is the main reason. The new features in watchOS 27, like Siri AI and a new tap gesture, need more processing power. These features work best on the Series 9, Ultra 2, and SE 3.

David Clark, a software engineering director, wants Siri to work the same on the watch and iPhone. He gave an example: you can ask Siri for a recipe on your watch while shopping, then see the same list on your iPhone later. He calls this handoff a 'superpower'.

watchOS 27 is now in beta for developers. A public beta will come next month, and the official release will be in the fall.