With Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference in June, we’ll find out a lot about the upcoming operating systems, including what devices the updates will be compatible with. But a few rumors have popped up that hint at what the official compatibility list will be.
According to a report by iPhoneSoft, compatibility with watchOS 11 (which is the next major version of the Apple Watch operating system) starts with the Apple Watch Series 5. That means that the Series 4 has run its course, and watchOS 10 is the last version that device will run. Apple usually supports a device for 5 to 7 years, so dropping the Series 4, which arrived in 2018, isn’t a surprise. Here’s the rumored compatibility list:
- Apple Watch Series 5 (2019)
- Apple Watch Series 6 (2020)
- Apple Watch Series 7 (2021)
- Apple Watch Series 8 (2022)
- Apple Watch Series 9 (2023)
- Apple Watch SE 1 (2020)
- Apple Watch SE 2 (2022)
- Apple Watch Ultra 1 (2022)
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 (2023)
Apple will also show iPadOS 18 at WWDC, and 9to5Mac has a report on its compatibility list. Notably, Apple will drop support for the 6th-generation iPad, the 2nd-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and the 10.5-inch iPad Pro with A10 and A10X Fusion chips. The possible compatibility list:
- iPad (2019 and later)
- iPad mini (2019 and later)
- iPad Air (2019 and later)
- iPad Pro (2018 and later)
9to5Mac also reports that the iOS 18 compatibility list is the same as iOS 17 as has been previously reported. iOS 17 support begins with the iPhone XR/XS/XS Max, which use an A12X Bionic chip. Reports of macOS 15’s combability have not popped up, but the most likely to lose support are the 2018 Mac mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro, as well as the 2017 iMac Pro, all of which have Intel chips.
We’re expecting to see Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3rd generation, running watchOS 11, launch in September 2024 at the company’s Glowtime event (see how to watch the September event). If you’re in the market for a new Apple Watch, see our Apple Watch buying guide, round-up of the best Apple Watch deals, and advice on whether you should buy Apple Watch now or wait. You might also be interested in what other new Apple products are coming this year, and when is the next Apple event.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.