Apple, Google and Samsung End Major Updates for 8 Smartwatches in 2026

3 articles · Updated · TechRepublic · Aug 26

Eight smartwatch models across Apple, Google and Samsung are hitting 2026 software-support cutoffs, ending guaranteed major OS updates even though the devices can still function.
Apple’s watchOS 27 drops support for five models — Series 6, 7, 8, SE 2 and first-generation Ultra — a notably broad cutoff that includes watches only about four years old.
Google’s Pixel Watch 2 reaches its guaranteed support deadline in October, while Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro keep guaranteed Wear OS upgrades only through Dec. 31, 2026.
Those deadlines do not all mean the same thing: some watches lose access to the newest OS, while others may still receive security patches after major feature updates stop.
The cutoffs come as newer watches add AI assistants, health tools and longer support promises, underscoring how wearable software lifecycles can lag far behind still-usable hardware.