A few times a year, Apple sends a handful of old products to the dustbin of history as obsolete products that can no longer be repaired or serviced. They’re not usually newsworthy—but it’s not usually for the most expensive product it ever made.
As of October 1, the first-generation Apple Watch from 2015 has been added to Apple’s list of obsolete products. It’s notable for two reasons: For one, it’s the first Apple Watch to be declared obsolete. For another, it includes the line of solid-gold watches that sold for as much as $17,000.
Granted, if you could afford to drop $17,000 on a watch, you probably don’t mind, but it underscores how ephemeral smartwatches are. While luxury wristwatches are treasured heirlooms passed down through generations, smartwatches have a limited lifespan due to software updates and non-removable batteries.
Apple stopped supporting the first-generation Apple Watch with watchOS 5 and declared it vintage two years ago, meaning Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than five and less than seven years ago. Obsolete products were last sold more than seven years ago.
Apple is currently selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and is expected to unveil a major overhaul next year with the Series X. It has sold the Apple Watch in several materials over the years, including aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and ceramic, but the first-generation models are the only ever made in solid gold.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor, Macworld
Michael Simon has been covering Apple for more than 20 years. He started covering rumors with Spymac when the iPod was the iWalk, and has owned nearly every iPhone Apple has ever made. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and far too many gadgets.