Apple Watch Series 3 seems to be on its way out, and it couldn’t come at a worse time. According to respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple may ultimately abandon the Series 3 of the Apple Watch in the third quarter of 2022, when it is five years old.
It’s possible that the Apple Watch Series 3 will be phased out in the third quarter of 2022 since it doesn’t have the processing power to handle the next watchOS.
The Apple Watch Series 3 was introduced in September of 2017 and has now been around for over five years. The S3 processor in this watch is older than the S5 chip in the Apple Watch SE and the S7 chip in the Apple Watch Series 7 yet still supports the newest version of watchOS 8. Series 3 is the only surviving Apple Watch that maintain the original, bulkier design of Apple Watch with big bezels and sharp edges surrounding the display.
Users of the Apple Watch Series 3 must unpair and re-pair the device while upgrading watchOS since the Apple Watch does not have enough internal capacity to finish an upgrade on its own after iOS 14.6 and watchOS 7.5 releases last year.
When Apple unveils watchOS 9 at WWDC in June, support for the Series 3 might ultimately be dropped, according to Kuo. Because of this, watchOS 9 would be limited to Apple Watch Series 4 models released in 2018 or later. Apple regularly unveils big new operating systems in early June, but the upgrades themselves aren’t often launched until the autumn, which would align with Kuo’s predicted timing and the arrival of new Apple Watch models.
However, the second-generation Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Series 8 are likely to be released later this year, which may have more health features such as a body temperature sensor, faster chipsets, greater activity tracking as well as a whole new “rugged” model.
A discontinuation of the Apple Watch Series 3 looks probable given the device’s age, design, S3 processor, storage space limitations, and the additional step necessary to install software upgrades. This is expected when new Apple Watch models are launched later this year. Although the Apple Watch Series 3 is still available for $199 through Apple, we do not suggest it above the $279 Apple Watch SE for the reasons stated above.
WatchOS 9 may not work with the older Apple Watch Series 3 models, which is an interesting development. There is a strong possibility that Apple is working on additional features or skills that might push the current watch to its limits. Even though watchOS 8 has made significant progress since its debut in 2015, the majority of people feel that it’s time for a major upgrade.