Apple Drops Watch Series 9 Support in watchOS 27

Apple just confirmed that watchOS 27 will leave behind the Apple Watch Series 9, the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra, and the Apple Watch SE (2nd generation). That's a brutal support cutoff — arguably the most aggressive in Apple Watch history.

The Series 9 launched in late 2023, meaning owners are getting roughly three years of software support before being left behind. The original Ultra, Apple's premium rugged smartwatch, meets the same fate despite its high price tag at launch.

The SE 2, Apple's budget-friendly option, also gets the axe. For a device marketed as the accessible entry point to the Apple Watch ecosystem, that's a particularly short runway.

Apple has historically been more generous with iPhone software support. The Watch lineup clearly plays by different rules — and those rules are getting tighter.