watchOS 5 Not Available for Original Apple Watch

The new watchOS 5 update, which was introduced at the keynote event of the Worldwide Developers Conference this morning, will not be available on the first-generation Apple Watch models that were released three years ago in 2015.

There were some hints that support might be dropped for the original Apple Watch, including warnings in later watchOS 4 updates after Apple stopped supporting the watchOS 1 SDK.

newsiriwatchface
watchOS 5 will be able to be installed on Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watch models, while original Apple Watch models will not be able to be upgraded beyond watchOS 4.

The original Apple Watch likely does not have the power and battery life necessary for some of the newer watchOS 5 features, including Walkie-Talkie for touch-to-talk communications with friends, richer interactive notifications, automatic workout detection, and updates to the Siri watch face.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 May See 'Significant' Dynamic Island Changes

Monday July 14, 2025 12:11 am PDT by
The iPhone's Dynamic Island experience is set to undergo "significant evolution" over the next few years, according to a new rumor. Earlier this month, a report suggested that the iPhone 17 lineup will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, but little else was explained about the software changes. Now, the leaker known as "Majin Bu" appears to have corroborated this, commenting ...

Top Rated Comments

code-e Avatar
93 months ago
This trusty S0 has held out so long. Looks like I won't be running the beta, but assuming a new Apple Watch is announced in the fall, it's finally time to upgrade!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaxomoxay Avatar
93 months ago
I will NEVER buy another Apple watch because of this policy. When I pay an outrageous $700 for a stinking watch, I expect it to be supported for a long time to come. Apple has just become too greedy!
I am pretty sure that the Watch will continue working for all the functionalities you paid it for, for many years to come.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
poppy10 Avatar
93 months ago
Imagine if you spent $15,000 on one of the gold plated edition versions of this. So much for being a rival to luxury watch brands. Those last generations. This is dropped after a few years
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gabriel193755 Avatar
93 months ago
All I wanted was new watch faces.
What do we get? Walkie-Talkie...
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
witherwings Avatar
93 months ago
So the $10.000 Gold Apple Watch series are now obsolete? Good investment!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
93 months ago
My S0 is ready to be retired alongside my first generation iPhone and first generation iPad. I should put them all together in a display case or something in the new office I'm building in my basement. If only I had an original Mac! I joined the party too late.

The S0 battery life and performance is already not great. It's best for them to optimize watchOS for newer, faster devices. Looking at iOS, it seems like Apple is now supporting devices even longer once they got to a certain performance level. Hopefully the same happens for the Watch and we eventually get updates for longer once devices get fast enough.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)