This fall, Apple will discontinue software support for 16 devices across four of its product lines, marking significant changes, especially for Apple Watch users. Announced at WWDC, the new macOS 27 Golden Gate, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, and watchOS 27 will see several older devices losing compatibility. Notably, iOS 27 will maintain the same device support as iOS 26, ensuring no iPhone models are excluded, with the HomePod also remaining unaffected.
The Apple Watch faces the most drastic changes, with watchOS 27 dropping support for Series 6, 7, 8, the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra, and the second-generation Apple Watch SE. This marks the most significant reduction in support for the Apple Watch range to date.
The iPad lineup will also experience substantial cuts, requiring an A14 Bionic or M1 chip for iPadOS 27. This update will no longer support five models still compatible with iPadOS 26, including the iPad Air (3rd gen) and the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd gen).
Furthermore, macOS Golden Gate ends support for the remaining Intel-based Macs, aligning with Apple’s previous announcement that macOS Tahoe would be the last for pre-Apple silicon Macs. The affected models include the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) and the Mac Pro (2019).
Apple TV will see two models lose support with tvOS 27, specifically the Apple TV HD (2015) and the first-generation Apple TV 4K (2017). Only the second and third-generation Apple TV 4K models will continue to receive updates.
While owners of these devices may receive security updates for the previous OS version for some time, accessing the latest features will require upgrading to newer hardware. Apple’s updated operating systems are anticipated to launch in September, following a beta testing phase.
