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on Monday, Apple announced a new slate of updates coming this fall—among them, iOS 27, macOS 27, and watchOS 27. During the keynote, the company excitedly shared that iOS 26 will be available for all iPhones compatible with iOS 26. If your iPhone is currently receiving the latest updates from Apple, it will continue to do so for another year. Unfortunately, some of the company’s other products weren’t so lucky.
As expected, macOS 27 Golden Gate marks the end of the line for Intel Macs. Unless you have an Apple Silicon Mac, you won’t be able to update this fall. It’s the same story for iPadOS 27: Apple is releasing a number of iPads this year, mostly from 2018 and 2019. But the real shock came with watchOS 27: Apple’s lineup is now limited to just six Apple Watches, which means there’s a decent chance your watch won’t be supported this year. While the company has developed watchOS 26 for the Series 6, 7, 8, first-gen Ultra, and second-gen SE, none of those watches will get a new update in the fall.
I am an update person; I like to install the latest OS version on each of my devices and find out what has changed since the last update. While I can look forward to it on my iPhone, my Mac, and my iPad this year, my Apple Watch is a different story. I have a Series 6, which means watchOS 26 is the end of the road for my wearable. If I want to try watchOS 27, I’ll need to bite the bullet and upgrade my watch to Series 9 or newer. The thing is, I’m not going to do it—not yet, anyway.
Why watchOS 27 is not worth buying an Apple Watch
Here’s my take: While watchOS 27 looks like a great update, it’s not worth dropping some serious cash on a new Apple Watch. Despite how many Apple Watches didn’t make the cut this year, the update didn’t include enough enticing features to make me want to ditch my aging Series 6.
Like Apple’s other flagship updates this year, watchOS 27 is all about AI. There’s Siri AI, of course, which, taking Apple at its word, turns the company’s assistant into something like ChatGPT or Gemini. If I bought a new Apple Watch, I’d be able to ask Siri complex, open-ended questions that she’d apparently be able to answer beyond the usual “I don’t see ‘taco bowl recipe’ in your contacts.” I can ask it to pull up photos from a trip I took last year or take conversations I’ve had with the assistant on my other Apple devices through the new Siri app. I’m not saying I wouldn’t try the new Siri if I had a new Apple Watch, but as someone who doesn’t really use chatbots outside of my reporting, I’m not enamored with the upgrade here.
Workout Buddy also gets an upgrade this year, tapping into Apple Intelligence to provide new insights about your fitness based on your history. AI Coach now supports Spanish, and now you don’t even need your iPhone nearby to use it. Unfortunately, my Series 6 never supported Workout Buddy to begin with, so this is a case of missing something I never had.
There are also some miscellaneous upgrades across the board: there’s now a new dynamic app grid that can make it easier to find the app you’re looking for; Relevant information will surface when WatchOS makes a phone call; Now has perimenopause and menopause support; Indoor walks and runs are tracked more precisely; A new single-tap gesture lets you select widgets in Smart Stacks, which also come with upgraded suggestions. And Apple upgraded Liquid Glass to be a bit more legible across the board. None of these features are bad; They just aren’t worth the $399 or more to pick up a brand new watch.
Indeed, my main temptation here is the only non-feature Apple is rolling out this year: performance upgrades. The company is taking 2026 as an opportunity to refine its OS across the board, And on watchOSThe company has made improvements in battery life, sleep tracking, media playback and WiFi connectivity among other boosts. But if I’m buying a new Apple Watch, I expect it to be faster and last longer than my old watch, so the performance increases and that’s not necessarily the case.
My Apple Watch still works great
Is my Apple Watch almost five years old? Yes. Are microphones a little “hard to hear” these days? Yes. Does the battery last as long as when I got it? Not at all. Does it do everything I need it to? you betcha.
In recent years, the Apple Watch has achieved something similar to the iPhone: year-to-year improvements are so few that there’s little reason to upgrade on a frequent basis. Apple released the Series 6 in 2020, and yet, it does everything you’d expect from an Apple Watch; I can track my workouts indoors and outdoors; I can track my sleep habits and assess health trends over time; I can quickly reply to texts from friends on my wrist (even if the interface is starting to slow down); And I can check simple stats like the weather, my upcoming schedule, or, of course, the time, without taking out my iPhone.
What do you think so far?
I’m sure I’d get a kick out of a faster watch with better battery life, but it won’t make a difference for me day-to-day. Unfortunately for Apple, my Series 6 is too good to pass up, even for watchOS 27.
My Apple Watch will still receive security updates
The most important updates in my book are security patches. I don’t hesitate to keep a device when it stops getting new features, I stop using it when it doesn’t get the latest security updates. Internet-connected devices need the latest patches or else they are vulnerable to hackers armed with the latest exploits.
Fortunately, Apple continues to issue security patches for devices after discontinuing official software support. No guarantee how long it will last, but back in May, The company has seeded a security update for iOS 15That covers devices as old as the iPhone 6S. Apple originally released it in 2015, and while I don’t necessarily expect the company to release the watchOS 26 security patch in 2031, I’m pretty confident that my Series 6 will be safe from the vulnerabilities for the foreseeable future.
Other updates from Apple are not upgradeable for both
My Apple Watch is my only Apple device not getting an update this year, but I’m not sure I’d be tempted to upgrade my iPhone, iPad or Mac if either of those were getting OS access. On each, Siri AI, Apple Intelligence and performance upgrades are the headliners, with minor features and changes accompanying the updates. It’s great that macOS has ultrawide display support, or all three updates would update compromised passwords on your behalf. But if my “old” iPhone, iPad, or Mac still does all the things I need it to do, none of these updates are worth the cost of the upgrade.
That doesn’t mean upgrading is a bad thing. Some of Apple’s current devices are the best they’ve ever made. You can’t go wrong with either Apple Silicon MacAnd mine iPhone 17 Pro Max The most durable Apple product I’ve ever owned. However, I wouldn’t judge entirely based on this year’s updates. If it’s time for a new phone or computer, upgrade of course. If you’re okay with trucking, consider keeping it for the time being.
