Apple Watch Series 3 could be discontinued later this year

Popular Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reveals that the Apple Watch Series 3 will be discontinued soon after it turns five generations old. He shared the information in a tweet stating that the watch will be retired in the third quarter of 2022 as its hardware may not be capable of handling the next version of Watch OS.

To recall, the Apple Watch Series 3 was unveiled in 2017. It packs the S3 chipset and is the oldest watch in the lineup to support the latest WatchOS 8. But the computing system is quite old to support new software updates. In reference to that, multiple users have reported how difficult it is to update the Apple Watch Series 3 with every new software version. Along with the hardware, the design has also become dated, with the Series 3 being the last Apple Watch to feature large bezels around the display.

Apple Watch Series 3 may go to end-of-life (EOL) in 3Q22 because the computing power can’t meet the requirements of the new watchOS.

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 21, 2022

The Apple Watch Series 3 suffered from the issue of not having enough storage when Apple rolled out WatchOS 7.5 last year. Thus, the watch is unlikely to be considered for the WatchOS 9 update that may be unveiled at WWDC 2022. Apple has yet to announce the dates for its upcoming event, but it may take place in June if we go by the previous WWDC timelines. While we expect to get a sneak peek of the latest Watch OS version at the event, the update won’t be released until the fall. This means that WatchOS 9 will be introduced along with new Apple Watch devices.

According to the rumors, Apple will unveil three new watches this year — Apple Watch Series 8, a second-generation Apple Watch SE, and an Apple Watch with a rugged finish. Bloomberg reported that the Apple Watch with a rugged finish will be called the “Explorer” edition. This particular watch is said to be aimed at athletes, hikers, and extreme sports enthusiasts.

Leaks did emerge showing the Apple Watch Series 8 in a new flat design but we are not certain if that will materialize this year. Features like skin temperature reading and blood pressure monitoring stand to be canceled for the next-gen Apple Watch.

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