The steepest cuts are on the wrist
While iOS 27 surprised positively by not dropping any iPhone compared to the previous generation, watchOS 27 tells a different story. TechRadar reports that Apple Watch Series 10, Ultra 2, Ultra 3, and SE (3rd generation) are the compatible models for watchOS 27, effectively excluding six recent or current-generation models.
Engadget's confirmed compatibility indicates that Siri AI on watchOS requires Apple Watch Series 10 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, and Apple Watch SE (3rd generation) paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. Series 9 and earlier models do not receive full support.
Why watch cuts come faster
Apple Watch has a more aggressive hardware refresh cycle than iPhone precisely because on-device AI processing demands recent chips. Cutting Series 9 and earlier may feel abrupt but reflects the hardware requirements for contextual Siri AI. Series 9 users will continue to receive security updates, but the watch's AI ecosystem remains out of reach. It's a reminder that the Apple Watch obsolescence pace remains faster than that of iPhones.