Apple Watch Series 3 is excluded from the watchOS 9 list of supported devices. However, the iPadOS 16 support list includes older models.
Apple Watch Series 3 is TOO dead! At the WWDC 2022 Keynote address, Apple released a series of software updates for all the devices in its ecosystem. Sadly, they dropped support for some old but popular devices. iOS 16 has surprisingly dropped support for the iPhone 7 generation along with the iPhone 6S and iPhone SE 1st Gen, as well as the iPod Touch. Outside of the iOS ecosystem, the Apple Watch Series 3 is also exempt from the latest software updates. The Watch Series 3 sold until recently as Apple’s entry-level smartwatch.
In its device support list, Apple states that “watchOS 9 will be available this fall as a free software update for Apple Watch Series 4 and later paired with iPhone 8 or later and iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later, running iOS 16. “This excludes Apple Watch Series 3 from the list. WatchOS 9 is a slight update over watchOS 8, with only a few visual changes and some additional health features.
ALSO READ: iOS 16 is NOT coming to iPhone 7, iPhone 6S, iPhone SE First Generation, iPod Touch! What to do now?
Apple Watch Series 3 reduced
As a result, the watchOS 9 update will only come to the following Apple Watch models:
Apple Watch Series 4
Apple Watch Series 5
Apple Watch SE
Apple Watch Series 6
Apple Watch Series 7
iPad users rejoice though
While the Apple Watch Series 3 is no longer receiving updates, iPad users have something to be excited about. iPadOS 16 with many new features is available on some older iPad models. New software features will be available this fall as free software updates for iPad (5th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air, Apple said. (3rd generation or later) and all iPad Pro models.
As a result, iPad models receiving the update include:
iPad Pro (All Models)
iPad Air (3rd generation or later)
iPad (5th generation or later)
iPad mini (5th generation or later)
It’s amazing to see that the 5th generation iPad and 6th generation iPad are getting updates, despite running on very old A9 and A10 chips. iPhone models running on A9 and A10 chips have not been supported with the latest iOS.
