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watchOS 7 Only Compatible With Apple Watch Series 3 and Later

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The watchOS 7 update that Apple introduced today brings exciting new features like Sleep Tracking, handwashing tracking, and a new watch face sharing option, but the new software is compatible with a limited number of Apple Watch models.

watchos-7-main-image.jpg

watchOS 7 will work with the Apple Watch Series 3, Series 4, Series 5, and later models, but it won't be compatible with the Apple Watch Series 1 or the Apple Watch Series 2. Apple also says that not all features will be available on all Apple Watch models.

These older Apple Watch models will be limited to watchOS 6 and will not be able to take advantage of the new features coming in watchOS 7.

Article Link: watchOS 7 Only Compatible With Apple Watch Series 3 and Later
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/06/22/watchos-7-compatibility-apple-watch-series-3/
Last edited:
szw-mapple fan said:
Seems like a fair cutoff, considering how cheap the series 3 is these days.
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Interesting perspective. We have had a long line of updates a support for the phone but nothing has been established for the watch yet. So does the series 3 only have a year left of updates now? It’s anybodies guess now.
 
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Mdracer said:
Interesting perspective. We have had a long line of updates a support for the phone but nothing has been established for the watch yet. So does the series 3 only have a year left of updates now? It’s anybodies guess now.
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I would guess it will get at least one more major update, considering the S4 and S5 have essentially the same chip.
 
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Shame that series 1/2 aren’t supported (in a very limited way). It could have encouraged 2 watch generations of owners to buy a new Series 6 and repurpose their old device as a sleep tracker; as it is we’ll own an obsolete watch, and invest in a new device that will act as a compelling reminder of how limited the battery life is! We/they could have avoided that and helped extend the life of (old) devices... you know, trying to save the planet and all that.
 
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So no Sp02 monitoring? There's already a pulse ox in there so why not activate it? I guess they're going to throw a hardware switch only for the AW6 as it's primary purchase/upgrade USP. Health benefits shouldn't be eked out incrementally as part of a commercial roadmap IMO, but made available a ASAP once developed and tested. Likewise, we won't see blood glucose until AW7 or more likely AW8 at the earliest.
 
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FightTheFuture said:
Series 1/2 under watchOS6 should still be supported under iOS14, though not sure why anyone would put themselves through that type of punishment. Those watches were always slow in comparison to Series 3 and above.
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My series 1 feels pretty decent compared to my series 3...
 
Well, we have seen the premier features and some of the subtle ones. Now we wait until Sept to see how is the hardware improvements chip and battery...
 
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Expecting a new CPU with Series 6 this fall and will upgrade from Series 3 if that is the case.
 
I'm curious... So one massive benefit I have from using an Apple Watch unfortunately needs to take advantage of a loophole. Watch Apps cannot update complications on screen automatically more than a few times a day. I wear a Dexcom to monitor interstitial sugar, with reading sent to the app every five minutes. Dexcom has a complication for apple watch, but impossible for it to update 288 times a day... so you're often opening the app on the watch, which is just a time waster.

So, I have another app that takes the Dexcom readings, publishes them to an iCloud calendar every five minutes, then I have the calendar complication always show on my watch to get around this restriction. The downside is that at some point, the calendar will refuse to update on the phone after about the 24 hour mark, requiring a phone reboot once a day.

I kind of get why Apple has the restriction... to preserve battery life as much as possible, but for me, its an override I really wish I could have for an app of my choosing.
 
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Mdracer said:
Interesting perspective. We have had a long line of updates a support for the phone but nothing has been established for the watch yet. So does the series 3 only have a year left of updates now? It’s anybodies guess now.
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probably as long as it's fast enough to support updates, I would imagine. series 3 was a big improvement over earlier watches. Technology rolls on
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jicon said:
I'm curious... So one massive benefit I have from using an Apple Watch unfortunately needs to take advantage of a loophole. Watch Apps cannot update complications on screen automatically more than a few times a day. I wear a Dexcom to monitor interstitial sugar, with reading sent to the app every five minutes. Dexcom has a complication for apple watch, but impossible for it to update 288 times a day... so you're often opening the app on the watch, which is just a time waster.

So, I have another app that takes the Dexcom readings, publishes them to an iCloud calendar every five minutes, then I have the calendar complication always show on my watch to get around this restriction. The downside is that at some point, the calendar will refuse to update on the phone after about the 24 hour mark, requiring a phone reboot once a day.

I kind of get why Apple has the restriction... to preserve battery life as much as possible, but for me, its an override I really wish I could have for an app of my choosing.
Click to expand...
That doesn't sound right, sounds like Dexcom needs to hire a few programmers. I use cardiogram to monitor heart 24/7, it updates a whole lot more than 288 times a day
 
Veinticinco said:
So no Sp02 monitoring? There's already a pulse ox in there so why not activate it? I guess they're going to throw a hardware switch only for the AW6 as it's primary purchase/upgrade USP. Health benefits shouldn't be eked out incrementally as part of a commercial roadmap IMO, but made available a ASAP once developed and tested. Likewise, we won't see blood glucose until AW7 or more likely AW8 at the earliest.
Click to expand...
If there is SpO2 monitoring, it will be introduced with the Apple Watch 6, not at WWDC
 
Michal788 said:
A shame for the blood oxygen detection you must buy the Apple Watch Series 6 . :( I was really hoping that it was coming in WatchOS 7.
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I didn't read that anywhere. Last I heard Apple was trying to get blood oxygen certified by regulators. Medical stuff, you know, you can't just add it willy nilly
 
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