They’re making no bones about it: this year, there’s a hard line in the sand for older hardware. Come September, when the latest OS versions roll out, 16 devices will be done with major updates. If your setup is a bit long in the tooth, it’s going to impact you.
What is changing and when it lands
Some legacy models have been ruled out for the next round of operating systems, Apple says. The developer betas are up and running; the rest of us can wait for the public release later in the year. As for the unsupported ones, you can count on at least a year of security fixes from Apple, but new features are off the table.
Intel Macs finally lose major updates
For those with an Intel-era Mac, the day has come. With macOS 27 Golden Gate, support is for Apple Silicon only. Four of your machines are now in the past: the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 2020 13-inch version, the 2020 iMac and the 2019 Mac Pro.
The reason: all the good stuff in future macOS – the performance, the AI, the new capabilities – is built for Apple's own silicon. Your Intel Mac might get a security fix here and there, but the platform is moving on without it.
Big swing on Apple Watch and iPad
You’ll see the steepest drop with the Apple Watch. In what is probably the biggest one-off cull we’ve seen, watchOS 27 is saying goodbye to five models. From now on, you need an S9 or S10 chip to run it.
iPad is no different. To get iPadOS 27, you have to have at least an A14 Bionic, which means five tablets are out of the running. It’s a way for Apple to tie in the kind of features and graphics you see in their new AI tools and UI.
Apple TV and iPhone status
Don’t think your Apple TV is safe. The 2015 HD and the 2017 first-gen 4K won’t be seeing tvOS 27. Only the more recent 4Ks will make the cut.
As for your iPhone, you should be in the clear. iOS 27 is set to work with anything from an iPhone 11 on up. Just know that if you want to use Apple Intelligence, you need a 15 Pro or better.
The full list of devices losing new updates
These are the 16 you can’t put the new software on:
– Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
– Apple TV 4K (1st generation, 2017)
– Mac Pro (2019)
– iPad mini (5th generation)
– Apple Watch Ultra (2022)
– iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)
– MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020)
– Apple Watch Series 8
– iPad (8th generation)
– iMac (2020)
– iPad Air (3rd generation)
– Apple Watch Series 6
– iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
– MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
– Apple TV HD (2015)
– Apple Watch Series 7
What this means for users
Your device isn’t going to stop working, and Apple will put out some security updates for the old software. But the new toys, the speed bumps and the AI you see in this year’s lineup? You won’t have them.
If you have one of the above, you may want to start planning. See what the app requirements are down the road, keep an eye on when the security updates come in and figure out if it’s time to hold on to your current OS or make the switch to something new.
