Smartwatch owners face end of guaranteed updates across major brands in 2026

A wave of end-of-life status is approaching for several popular smartwatch models in 2026, affecting devices from Apple, Google, and Samsung. While these watches will not immediately cease to function, they will stop receiving new features and, in some cases, critical security patches. For investors and consumers tracking the hardware cycle, 2026 marks a significant checkpoint for the smartwatch market, with major platforms simultaneously reaching the end of their guaranteed support windows.

Apple is making the most substantial cut, dropping support for five models with the release of watchOS 27 in mid-September 2026. The affected devices include the Apple Watch Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, the Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), and the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra. According to Engadget, the incompatibility is driven by hardware limitations, as modern Siri functions are optimised for the chips found in the Apple Watch Series 9 and later models. This follows Apple’s typical support cycle of three to six years for major operating system updates.

Google’s Pixel Watch 2, released in October 2023, will lose its guaranteed update window on 1 October 2026. This expiration covers both Wear OS version updates and security patches. The move aligns with Google’s three-year support policy for its Pixel Watch lineup, a duration notably shorter than the seven-year support commitment the company offers for its Pixel smartphones. Consequently, Google currently provides the shortest watch support lifespan among the major brands.

Samsung employs a two-tiered support structure, separating major operating system upgrades from security patches. The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro, released in August 2022, will receive their final Wear OS upgrades by 31 December 2026, though security updates are expected to continue beyond that date. Older models, such as the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic, have already ended their Wear OS support, with security upgrades also nearing their conclusion.

For users, the immediate impact is a loss of forward momentum rather than a total failure of the device. Watches will continue to handle basic tasks such as step tracking and notifications. However, the absence of ongoing security patches poses specific risks for those using their devices for contactless payments or storing sensitive health data, as unpatched vulnerabilities could be exploited.

As the latest models, including the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3, become the new standard, 2026 serves as a prompt for smartwatch owners to assess the longevity and security of their current hardware. The convergence of end-of-life dates across the three dominant platforms suggests a broader industry shift in how long manufacturers commit to supporting wearable technology.