On Monday, Apple announced a new slate of updates coming sometime this fall — among them, iOS 27, macOS 27, and watchOS 27. During the keynote, the company excitedly announced that iOS 26 will be available for all iPhones compatible with iOS 26. Unfortunately, some of the company’s other products weren’t so lucky.

As expected, macOS 27 Golden Gate marks the end of the line for Intel Macs. Unless you have an Apple silicon Mac, you won’t be able to update this fall. It’s a similar story for iPadOS 27: Apple is releasing a lot of iPads this year, mostly from 2018 and 2019. But the real shocker came with watchOS 27: Apple’s lineup is now limited to just six Apple Watches, which means there’s a reasonable chance your watch won’t be supported this year. While the company rolled out WatchOS 26 for the Series 6, 7, 8, first-gen Ultra and second-gen SE, none of these watches will receive the new update in the fall.

I’m an updated guy; I love installing the latest OS version on each of my devices and exploring what has changed since the last update. While I’m looking forward to it on my iPhone, my Mac and my iPad this year, my Apple Watch is a different story. I have a Series 6, which means watchOS 26 is the end of the road for my wearables. If I want to try watchOS 27, I’ll need to bite the bullet and upgrade my watch to Series 9 or newer. The thing is, I’m not going to — not yet, anyway.

Why watchOS 27 isn’t worth buying an Apple Watch

Here’s my take: While WatchOS 27 looks like a great update, it’s not worth dropping some serious cash on the new Apple Watch. Despite how many Apple Watches haven’t dropped this year, the update doesn’t include enough exciting features to make me want to ditch my aging Series 6.

Like Apple’s other flagship updates this year, WatchOS 27 is all about AI. There’s Siri AI, of course, which takes Apple at its word, turning the company’s assistant into something like ChatGPT or Gemini. If I bought a new Apple Watch, I’d be able to ask Siri complex, open-ended questions that she’d apparently be able to answer beyond the usual “I don’t see ‘taco bowl recipes’ in your contacts.” I can ask it to take photos from a trip I took last year, or pick up conversations I’ve had with Assistant on other Apple devices through the new Siri app. I’m not saying I wouldn’t try the new Siri if I had a new Apple Watch, but as someone who doesn’t really use chatbots outside of my reporting, I’m not impressed with the upgrade here.

Workout Buddy is also upgraded this year, to offer new insights into your fitness based on your history. AI Coach now supports Spanish, and you no longer even need an iPhone nearby to use it. Unfortunately, my Series 6 never supported Exercise Buddy to begin with, so this is a case I never had.

There are also some miscellaneous upgrades across the board: there’s now a new dynamic app grid that can make it easier to find the app you’re looking for. WatchOS will provide relevant information on the phone call. Now has perimenopause and menopause support; Indoor walks and runs are tracked more accurately. A new single-tap gesture lets you select widgets in SmartStacks, which also comes with upgraded suggestions. And Apple upgraded Liquid Glass to make it slightly more readable across the board. None of these features are bad. They don’t cost $399 or more to get a brand new watch.

Really, my real temptation here would be the only non-feature Apple is launching this year: performance upgrades. The company is taking 2026 as an opportunity to improve its OS across the board, And on watchOSThe company has improved battery life, sleep tracking, media playback, and Wi-Fi connectivity. But if I’m buying a new Apple Watch, I expect it to be faster and more durable than my old watch, so the performance boost itself isn’t necessarily convincing.

My Apple Watch still works great.

Is my Apple Watch almost five years old? Yes, are microphones a bit “hard to hear” these days? Yes Does the battery last as long as when I got it? Absolutely not. Does it do everything I need? You bet.

In recent years, the Apple Watch has achieved something similar to the iPhone: year-over-year improvements are so modest that there’s no reason to upgrade on a regular basis. Apple released the Series 6 back in 2020, and yet, it does everything I expect from an Apple Watch. I can track my workouts indoors and outdoors. I can track my sleep habits, and review health trends over time. I can quickly respond to texts from friends on my wrist (even if the interface is starting to lag); And I can check simple stats without taking out my iPhone, like the weather, my upcoming schedule, or of course the time.

I’m sure I’d benefit from a faster watch with better battery life, but it won’t make a difference for me on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately for Apple, my Series 6 is too good to give up, even for watchOS 27.

My Apple Watch will still receive security updates.

The most important updates in my book are security patches. While I don’t hesitate to keep a device once it gets new features, I stop using it when it doesn’t get the latest security updates. Internet-connected devices need the latest patches or else they are vulnerable to hackers equipped with the latest exploits.

Fortunately, Apple has continued to release security patches for devices after dropping official software support. There’s no guarantee how long this will last, but back in May, The company rolled out a security update for iOS 15.which covers devices as old as the iPhone 6S. Apple originally released it in 2015, and while I don’t necessarily expect the company to release the WatchOS 26 security patch in 2031, I feel pretty confident that my Series 6 will be protected from threats for the foreseeable future.

Other Apple updates are also not upgradable.

My Apple Watch is my only Apple device not getting an update this year, but I’m not sure I’d be tempted to upgrade my iPhone, iPad, or Mac if either of them were getting an OS bump. On each, Siri AI, Apple Intelligence, and performance upgrades are the headliners, with smaller features and changes also accompanying the updates. It’s a good thing macOS has ultrawide display support, or that all three updates will update your compromised passwords. But if my “old” iPhone, iPad, or Mac still does all the things I need, none of these updates are worth the cost of the upgrade.

That doesn’t mean upgrading is a bad thing. Apple’s current devices are some of the best they’ve ever made. You can’t go wrong with an Apple silicone Mac, and my iPhone 17 Pro Max is the most durable Apple product I’ve ever owned. Still, I wouldn’t make a decision purely based on this year’s updates. If it’s time for a new phone or computer, definitely upgrade. If your car is running perfectly fine, consider keeping it for now.