Apple Explains Why watchOS 27 Drops Support for Five Apple Watch Models

Apple has explained why watchOS 27's new Siri AI features require newer Apple Watch hardware, leaving five Apple Watch models without support for the update.



Announced at WWDC26 earlier this month, the update introduces a smarter, more conversational Siri that can draw on personal context and onscreen content. Apple says those capabilities work best on newer Apple Watch hardware.


watchOS 27 drops support for the Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, the second-generation SE, and even the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra, making it the largest Apple Watch compatibility cutoff to date. Only the Series 9 and later, Ultra 2 and later, and the latest SE 3 will run watchOS 27 and gain access to Siri AI.

In an interview with TechRadar, Apple Watch and Health product marketing manager Cait Dooley said the decision came down to performance. "The great new features in watchOS, including the capabilities of Siri AI and the new tap gesture, work best with the processing power that is in Apple Watch Series 9 and later, Ultra 2 and later, and SE 3," Dooley said. She added that older watches paired with an iPhone running the latest software will continue to receive security updates, so they can "continue to have a great Apple Watch experience."

David Clark, Apple's senior director of watchOS software engineering, told TechRadar that a core goal of watchOS 27 was to "expand the intelligence story on Apple Watch and make it a true co-partner to Apple Intelligence." He called the watch "the most convenient way to interact with Siri" because it's on the wrist all day, ready for quick questions when hands are full.

Clark emphasized that the experience is designed to be seamless across devices. A user could ask Siri on the watch for a recipe's ingredients while grocery shopping, then pick up the same conversation on their iPhone for a more detailed view.


"We really wanted to make sure the Siri experience is a singular and consistent experience," Clark said, "whether I decide to ask Siri on my wrist a question, or whether I have my phone in my hand. We really wanted to feel like it's one Siri, that has access to your data and is able to personalize it in a consistent way."

watchOS 27 is currently available to developers in beta, with a public beta expected next month ahead of a full release this fall.