Sawed-off Apple Watch Ultra: Apple defends drastic cut
Expensive in stores three years ago, now no major update: Many Watch owners are angry about the early software discontinuation. Apple dismisses the concerns.
(Image: Sebastian Trepesch / heise medien)
Why is the first Apple Watch Ultra not getting watchOS 27? Apple initially did not provide a specific reason for the unusually early feature stop for the 1000-euro smartwatch. Now the manufacturer is reacting to the strong user criticism. Apple continually strives for the “best experience” and therefore prioritizes “processing power and performance,” Apple Product Manager Cait Dooley stated to Techradar. New features of watchOS 27 such as Siri AI “work best with the processing power found in the Apple Watch Series 9 and newer, Ultra 2 and newer, and SE 3.”
The older, now cut-off model series will continue to receive security updates, the product manager promised. The combination of watchOS 26 on the watch and iOS 27 on the companion iPhone does not pose a problem. Specific technical details and reasons for the update stop were not provided.
WatchOS 27 only from Ultra 2 and Series 9
watchOS 27, scheduled for autumn, is making an unusual cut in device support: The next major update cannot be installed on the Ultra 1, Series 8, Series 7, Series 6, and SE 2, as the manufacturer announced last week. Originally, the incorrect information caused additional stir, suggesting the update would only run from Series 10. However, this was immediately corrected; watchOS 27 will come to this model series.
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The first generation of the Apple Watch Ultra expanded the smartwatch lineup upwards in autumn 2022 and was available at prices of up to 1000 euros three years ago. Few buyers would have expected such a rapid end to new features, especially since Apple has provided other Watch model series with updates for a long time. Patches for older watchOS versions have been rare and irregular until now. Whether this will change remains to be seen.
Old chip in first Ultra
The Apple Watch Ultra and Series 8 feature Apple's S8 chip, which lacks an AI accelerator like the Neural Engine. Important functional enhancements such as the double-tap gesture, on-device Siri, and sleep apnea detection are already missing here; Apple only supports all of this from the Ultra 2 with S9, which has a 4-core Neural Engine.
The two biggest innovations of watchOS 27 would likely have been missing from the Ultra 1 and Series 8 anyway: Siri AI and an additional gesture for finer control of the smart stack. However, other significant detailed innovations related to the Training app, Workout Buddy, Fitness data sync, and Liquid Glass design adjustments of the Ultra 1 are now reserved for newer models.
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