Apple Watch's shortened update support leads to class-action lawsuit

The Apple Watch will receive an update to watchOS 27 this fall. However, the latest operating system will only be rolled out to the Apple Watch Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Apple Watch SE 3 ($239 on Amazon), and all newer models. Models released up through 2022 will no longer receive updates, including the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE 2, which was still being sold in the Apple Store as of September 2025.

This means Apple is drastically shortening its update support, as watchOS 26 was still available on all models dating back to the Apple Watch Series 6. The affected smartwatches will remain functional, but without new operating system updates, app support is likely to be gradually limited. An Apple Watch user named Richard Goetz has now sued Apple over the effectively shortened useful lifespan of the Apple Watch.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple uses software updates to control how long an Apple Watch can be used without restrictions, even when the hardware would offer a significantly longer lifespan. The plaintiff purchased an Apple Watch Ultra for $799 in December 2022 and argues that he would not have made this purchase if Apple had disclosed that the smartwatch would only receive updates for three years.

While software support for all smartwatches is limited, companies such as Samsung and Google specify the guaranteed update period at launch, whereas Apple Watch buyers have no way of knowing when software updates will be discontinued.