Major Smartwatches Enter Final Year of Updates in 2026

Engadget reports that Apple will drop five models with a single watchOS update, which it describes as a massive cut. With the upcoming release of watchOS 27, Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, Apple Watch SE 2nd gen and the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra will no longer be supported. This appears to be related to hardware, as modern Siri works best with the chips inside Apple Watch Series 9 and newer. The new watchOS is expected to arrive in mid-September 2026, typically alongside new iPhone and Apple Watch hardware. The only Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 27 are Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra 2, Ultra 3 and SE 3rd generation.

Google's Pixel Watch 2, released in October 2023, has a guaranteed software update window running until October 1, 2026, according to Google's official support page. That includes Wear OS version updates and security patches. After that date, the watch will receive neither. Google's current Pixel Watch lineup follows a three-year support policy from the release date on the Google Store. The Pixel Watch 3 is expected to end support in October 2027, and the Pixel Watch 4 in October 2028. Engadget notes that Google offers seven years of support for Pixel smartphones but has not applied a similar policy to its watches, meaning Google offers the shortest watch support lifespan among major brands.

Samsung takes a different approach, splitting support into two tiers: one timeline for Wear OS upgrades and another for security updates. In recent years, Samsung has offered four major OS upgrades and five years of security patches per device. The Galaxy Watch 4 and 4 Classic, released in August 2021, have already ended Wear OS support, with security upgrades stopping in the near future. The Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro, released in August 2022, will receive Wear OS upgrades until December 31, 2026. The Galaxy Watch 6 and 6 Classic will receive upgrades until December 2027, and the Galaxy Watch FE until December 2028.

The end of support does not mean the watch suddenly stops working. Users can still track workouts, receive notifications and use most daily features. However, the devices lose forward momentum, including OS features, app compatibility improvements and potentially security patches. Engadget warns that this can be risky for users who rely on contactless payments or store sensitive health data on their watches, as the lack of ongoing security updates could leave devices vulnerable.