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I hope you have a current Apple Watch or iPad, because otherwise watchOS 27 and iPadOS 27 will not work on your device. Apple often drops support for older devices with the latest software updates, but this year it’s killing more generations of devices than ever before.
Apple is dropping support for four generations of Apple Watch models in watchOS 27. According to Apple’s website, the latest version of watchOS it will be available for Apple Watch Series 10 and above, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and above, and Apple Watch SE 3 devices.
This means that if you have an Apple Watch Series 9 model that is almost three years old, then you are out of luck. Similarly, if you bought the original Apple Watch Ultra in 2022, there will be no watchOS 27 update waiting for you this fall.
It’s a wonderful support for the Apple Watch models, which consumers don’t refresh as much as the iPhone. WatchOS 26, released a year ago, supported the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, as well as the Apple Watch SE (second generation) and later, and all Apple Watch Ultra models. This was the same list of devices as watchOS 11.
On the iPad side, iPadOS 27 ends support for third-generation iPad Air and standard eighth-generation iPad models. iPad Pro owners will also need a fourth-generation 12.9-inch model or larger, or a second-generation 11-inch model or larger.
Both watchOS 27 and iPadOS 27 include an updated Siri, called Siri Secret AI. This may explain why watchOS 27 is only available on Watch models that support Apple Intelligence. Surprisingly, Apple continues to support its iPhone 11 and iOS 27 models at the end of this year. This means that the iPhone from 2019 is supported by its latest OS update, but the Apple Watch from 2022 is not. Make sense.
Correction, June 8: The original version of this article incorrectly stated that iPads will receive iPadOS 27. The fourth generation (A14) and fifth generation (M1) iPad Air are supported, not unsupported.
