All articles tagged with #watchos 27
Apple has released beta 5 for iPadOS 27, along with beta updates for watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27. For now, only developers can install the updates, with public betas expected soon. The release follows the usual pattern of weekly betas focused on bug fixes and performance improvements ahead of iOS 27’s public launch, with no major user-facing changes expected yet.
watchOS 27’s Siri AI unifies the phone and wrist experience, enabling more on-wrist computing, seamless access to notes and reminders across devices, and a new App launcher with single-tap gestures; while latency remains and some requests are restricted (e.g., weather-based reminders), the update moves the Apple Watch closer to being a true wrist computer.
Apple releases watchOS 27 Beta 3 with faster Siri and a new Siri app, plus subtle UI tweaks; major features are sparse, some bugs fixed (notably with third‑party heart-rate monitors) and overall stability improved, but installation is a one‑way, ~3.9 GB upgrade with no independent downgrade, so proceed cautiously.
WWDC 2026 centers on iOS 27 with broad device support (including iPhone 11 and iPhone SE 2), macOS Golden Gate ending Intel Macs and Rosetta 2, iPadOS 27 raising the hardware floor while dropping several older iPad models, watchOS 27 cutting multiple Apple Watch generations and adding smarter features, and tvOS 27 updates. Apple Intelligence and Visual Intelligence tools expand across platforms, with Siri AI becoming a centerpiece (and some regional availability caveats in the EU). The show also teases new UI changes, Genmoji and Image Playground enhancements, and broader updates across VisionOS, macOS, iPadOS, and more following WWDC 2026.
Apple announced watchOS 27 at WWDC with a fall rollout, but many older Watches (including the original Watch Ultra) won’t receive the update and will only get security updates; new features like Siri AI and heightened gestures require newer hardware (Series 9, Ultra 2, SE 3), so owners of older models may want to upgrade for the best experience.
watchOS 27 drops support for Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, the second-generation Apple Watch SE, and the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra, limiting compatibility to SE (3rd gen), Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3. Apple says the changes prioritize power and performance to ensure a better experience on newer hardware, while older watches can still pair with the latest iPhones and receive security updates. The update also introduces Siri AI with a dedicated app, a dynamic app grid, and improvements to Workout Buddy; developer beta is available now, with a public beta in July and a fall-wide release.
Apple says watchOS 27 will skip five older Apple Watch models—Series 6, 7, 8, SE 2, and the original Ultra—shifting them to basic security updates only. The cutoff is driven by performance needs for new features like Siri AI and the tap gesture, which are best supported on newer hardware (Series 9 and Ultra 2 or newer, SE 3). Older watches with the latest iPhone will still work and receive security updates, while watchOS 27 is in developer beta with a public beta coming next month and a fall release planned.
The 2022 Apple Watch Ultra won’t receive watchOS 27, unlike the Ultra 2/Ultra 3 and most other Apple Watches, leaving the original Ultra lacking new features such as the Modular watch face and Dynamic App Grid. Apple promises broader improvements (better battery life, quicker Wi‑Fi, improved sleep tracking, faster media playback) for devices that can run the update, but the 2022 Ultra misses those upgrades and even saw Walkie Talkie removed in the beta. The situation highlights how Apple’s focus on AI-enabled updates has sidelined the first Ultra in favor of newer models.
Rumors suggest the Apple Watch Ultra 4 trims bulk with a redesigned titanium case up to 15% thinner, boosts efficiency via a new S12 chip built on a 3nm process delivering up to 72 hours of battery life in low-power mode, adds an eight-sensor rear array for more precise health data (including potential blood pressure monitoring), and runs watchOS 27 with smarter on-device Siri for faster, more context-aware interactions.
Apple will drop software updates for 16 devices this fall across watchOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and tvOS 27, removing several Apple Watch generations, multiple iPad models, Intel-based Macs, and older Apple TV models from official updates. iOS 27 will continue to support all iPhone models, and security patches will remain for the previous OS for about a year. The new OS versions are expected in September after beta testing.
watchOS 27 emphasizes under-the-hood gains—introducing a new dynamic app grid that surfaces five contextually relevant apps with Siri at the center, plus improvements such as better battery efficiency, Wi‑Fi connectivity, water detection, step tracking, faster media playback, and quicker app launches; requires iPhone 11+ with iOS 27 and supported Apple Watch models (SE 3, Series 9–11, Ultra 2/3); drops support for Series 6/7/8 and original Ultra/SE 2; release planned for fall.
watchOS 27 reportedly removes the Walkie-Talkie app from Apple Watch, a feature introduced with the Series 4 in 2018; in the beta the app is absent from the app list and Control Center, and Apple has not officially announced its removal, suggesting it will likely disappear in the fall with iOS 27. Fans note it was quirky but underused, with voice-note alternatives like iMessage or calls.
Apple has removed the Walkie-Talkie app from Apple Watch in the first developer beta of watchOS 27, with the feature no longer appearing in the app list or Control Center. Walkie-Talkie, launched in 2018, used FaceTime style tech to push-to-talk over Wi-Fi or cellular. After a security flaw was fixed in watchOS 5.3, Apple showed little momentum for the feature, and its removal in the beta suggests a quiet retirement; Apple has not officially confirmed the change, and a public beta and fall release are still expected.
watchOS 27 brings Siri AI with a dedicated on-wrist app, a dynamic app grid invoked by the Digital Crown, and a Workout Buddy that works without an iPhone and adds Spanish support. It also enhances health tracking with perimenopause support, improved treadmill distance, and synced step counts between Health and Fitness, plus expanded Smart Stack widget suggestions and a new double-tap gesture to cycle through widgets. Find My becomes unified on Apple Watch with Precision Finding for iPhone, AirTag 2, and AirPods Pro 3, while Apple outlines battery-saving prompts and other tweaks ahead of a fall launch; dev beta is available now with a public beta in July for Series 9+, Ultra 2+, and SE 3.
Apple corrected an erroneous omission on the watchOS 27 compatibility page, confirming that the Apple Watch Series 9 is supported by watchOS 27; the list update came after WWDC 2026, while watchOS 27 drops support for Series 6/7/8 and original Ultra/SE 2 but adds features like a Siri AI app and new workout insights. Beta testers for Series 9 were able to install watchOS 27 before the official confirmation.