Apple has officially kicked off WWDC26 with a massive bang, unveiling the next generation of Apple’s AI and a completely rewritten, powerhouse assistant called Siri AI. Promising to fundamentally reshape how we use our devices, the new software ecosystem introduces deep contextual awareness, clever family safety features, and a dedicated Siri workspace that privately syncs across your tech.
However, beneath the shiny demos of “Spatial Reframing” photos and on-device image creation, Apple quietly dropped a massive hardware bombshell. While some older devices have survived to fight another year, Cupertino has initiated its most aggressive software cull in history for the iPad and Apple Watch lines.
If you are clutching an older piece of Apple kit, here is everything you need to know about what’s coming—and whether your device made the cut for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and watchOS 27.
Siri Finally Grows Up: What is Siri AI?
For years, Siri has been the butt of the joke in the smart assistant world. Apple is trying to put those criticisms to bed once and for all. Driven by the next generation of Apple Intelligence, Siri AI is a complete, ground-up rewrite.
Instead of just spitting out web links, Siri AI can now read what is on your screen, tap into your personal context (like safely searching through your old text messages or emails to find a flight number), and take complex multi-step actions across different apps. There is even a brand-new, dedicated Siri app where you can review your conversation history or pick up a text-based chat right where you left off.
On top of the AI upgrades, Apple is leaning heavily into parental controls for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. Parents will get automated tools backed by clinical development insights to set strict screen time limits, alongside revamped “Communication Safety” filters that can actively intercept and block graphic content or violence in messages.
The Compatibility Hit List: Is Your Device Brick-Bound?
The catch with high-level, on-device AI architectures is that they require immense processing grunt. To push its platforms forward, Apple is drawing a hard line in the sand. Here is the official breakdown of which devices have been dropped from the upcoming autumn updates.
iPhones: The Shock Survivors (With a Catch)
In a surprising twist of mercy, Apple did not drop support for any iPhone models this year. If your iPhone successfully runs iOS 26, it will safely upgrade to iOS 27 this autumn. This means the legendary iPhone 11 (launched way back in 2019) survives to see its seventh major software version.
The Catch: Surviving the update does not mean getting the features. Apple has strictly limited the new Apple Intelligence and Siri AI capabilities to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the newer iPhone 16 and 17 lineups. If you have a standard iPhone 15 or anything older, your iOS 27 experience will be focused on speed and minor system tweaks, completely stripped of the new AI features.
iPads: The Aggressive Cull
While iPhone owners celebrated, iPad users took a massive hit. iPadOS 27 has instituted a brutal pruning process across the board, raising the baseline requirement to an A14 or M1 chip.
If you own any of the following iPads, you will not be able to upgrade to iPadOS 27:
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd Generation, 2018)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st Generation, 2018)
- iPad Air (3rd Generation, 2019)
- iPad (Standard) (8th Generation, 2020)
- iPad mini (5th Generation, 2019)
Apple Watch: The Bloodbath
The absolute biggest casualty of WWDC26 is the Apple Watch. Apple has completely cut off support for a staggering five older watch models simultaneously, drawing a definitive software line at wearables using the S9 or S10 chips.
If you wear any of these models, watchOS 26 is the end of the road for you. These watches are entirely incompatible with watchOS 27:
- Apple Watch Ultra (First Generation, 2022)
- Apple Watch SE (Second Generation, 2022)
- Apple Watch Series 8 (2022)
- Apple Watch Series 7 (2021)
- Apple Watch Series 6 (2020)
Seeing a premium device like the original Apple Watch Ultra—which retailed for £849 just four years ago—lose major software support so quickly is bound to sting for early adopters. If you want the shiny new watchOS 27 dynamic app grid or wrist-based Siri AI features, you will need a Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra 2, Ultra 3, or the new SE 3.
When Can You Get It?
For the brave tech enthusiasts out there, developer betas for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and watchOS 27 are rolling out this week. A broader public beta will follow in July, with the final consumer versions dropping globally this September alongside the expected launch of the iPhone 17 lineup.
If your device didn’t make the cut, don’t panic just yet. Apple will continue to push critical security updates to older operating systems for the foreseeable future—but if you want to experience Apple’s highly anticipated AI future, it might be time to start browsing the upgrade options.