Two 2022 smartwatch models won’t run watchOS 27.
Most of the headlines surrounding WWDC focus on the latest and greatest developments in Apple’s operating systems. The counterpoint to the hype around new versions of the software due out in the fall is the ever-changing cutoff line for why older hardware models won’t support this new thing. We already knew, for example, that macOS 27 Golden Gate would not be available on Apple’s Intel laptops. However, it looks like there will be some surprising exceptions when it comes to support for older generations of Apple Watch.
The list of models that will be compatible with watchOS 27 contains only five devices. The upcoming update will only work on the Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch Ultra 3. The Apple Watch Series 9, released fairly recently in 2023, is not included in the list, although Apple has confirmed to Woozad that it will be supported. That means the discontinued models are the original Watch Ultra and the SE 2, both of which debuted in 2022.
This appears to be a markedly different view than the company’s toward iOS 27, which will be available on smartphones starting with the iPhone 11 when it releases this fall. Given the focus on Siri in today’s keynote, the reason for the reduced support could have to do with technical limitations related to the new Apple Intelligence features, as these capabilities might have proven too demanding even for comparably recent smartwatch models.
Updated, June 8, 2026, 5:25 p.m. ET: Well, we noted that supporting Ultra 2 but not Series 9 was confusing! Apple confirmed to Woozad that watchOS 27 will eventually support the Watch Series 9, and this article was edited after publication to note this change. At the time of writing, the original listing is still intact on Apple’s website, but we assume this will be fixed shortly. Let’s hope Apple’s new Siri AI didn’t make this list.
