watchOS 11 Rumored to Drop Support for Apple Watch Series 4

Apple's upcoming watchOS 11 update will drop support for 2018's Apple Watch Series 4, according to iPhoneSoft.

apple watch series 4 flames
After five years of receiving the latest software updates, Apple Watch Series 3 lost support upon the release of watchOS 9 in 2022. Last year's watchOS 10 update was compatible with all of the same Apple Watch models as watchOS 9, but a new rumor claims that watchOS 11 will drop support for the oldest currently supported Apple smartwatch: the Apple Watch Series 4. The full device compatibility list for watchOS 11 is said to be as follows:

  • Apple Watch Series 5 (2019)
  • Apple Watch Series 6 (2020)
  • Apple Watch Series 7 (2021)
  • Apple Watch Series 8 (2022)
  • Apple Watch Series 9 (2023)
  • Apple Watch SE (first generation, 2020)
  • Apple Watch SE (second generation, 2022)
  • Apple Watch Ultra (first generation, 2022)
  • Apple Watch Ultra 2 (2023)

The Apple Watch Series 4 debuted alongside the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max in 2018, introducing the device's first ever redesign, a larger display, double the amount of storage, Fall Detection, and the ability to take an ECG.

Last year, iOS 17 dropped support for the iPhone X, but iOS 18 is rumored to support all of the same models as its predecessor. Apple is expected to preview watchOS 11, iOS 18, and its other next-generation software updates at WWDC on June 10. The updates will likely release to the public in the fall.

Related Roundup: watchOS 26
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
google pixel 10

Switching Between iPhone and Android Will Get Easier With New Apple and Google Collaboration

Monday December 8, 2025 11:10 am PST by
Apple and Google are teaming up to make it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, according to 9to5Google. There is a new Android Canary build available today that simplifies data transfer between two smartphones, and Apple is going to implement the functionality in an upcoming iOS 26 beta. Apple already has a Move to iOS app for transferring data from an Android...
Apple Fitness Plus expansion hero

Apple Fitness+ Coming to 28 New Regions With Digital Voice Dubbing

Monday December 8, 2025 6:19 am PST by
Apple today announced that Fitness+ is expanding to 28 new markets on December 15 in the service's largest international rollout since launch, accompanied by new language dubbing and a K-Pop music genre. Apple Fitness+ will become available in Chile, Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan, and additional regions on December 15, with Japan scheduled to follow early next year....
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...

Top Rated Comments

Babu Life Avatar
22 months ago
kinda lame when my series 4 works perfectly still
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
simbo123 Avatar
22 months ago
This will be disappointing if true because the Series 4 SIP is the same (performance wise) as the Series 5 and SE 1st Gen.

Would be better if they supported Series 4 one more year and then dropped all three devices.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nekronos Avatar
22 months ago

whenever someone accuses Apple of doing planned obsolescence, years of software updates immediately destroy their argument.
On the contrary it supports said argument, Windows has always surpassed MacOS in terms of years of updates and android has now surpassed iOS for updates.

Given the touted quality and longevity of Apple's hardware, one would expect more years of updates but going back to the planned obsolescence argument, it's clear Apple wants you to upgrade your device every few years - and why wouldn't they, they make their money on hardware, not software.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
truthsteve Avatar
22 months ago
whenever someone accuses Apple of doing planned obsolescence, years of software updates immediately destroy their argument.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scrapesleon Avatar
22 months ago
Doesn’t make sense when the series 5 is basically the same spec
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Motawa Avatar
22 months ago

I get the business case here for Apple -- but seriously, for a WATCH, they can't even support an older version's basic ability to even just show the current time and date?

My old Casio G-Shocks never had this problem. /ducks
I got some news for you: The series 4 does NOT explode when watchOS 11 comes.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)