- The Apple Watch 1 series is now officially obsolete, says Apple
- This makes it more difficult to obtain official parts and repair services
- Despite the name, it is not the same device as the original Apple Watch
Do you still rocker an Apple Watch Series 1? If this is the case, we have bad news: Apple has just declared that it is “obsolete”, which makes it much more difficult to obtain an appropriate service for your smartwatch. But the situation is actually slightly confusing, and there is another model which is often confused for series 1.
We will get there in a minute. But first, it is worth understanding what Apple’s declaration means. Apple classifies its own products as “vintage” when the company stopped selling them more than five but less than seven years ago. These products then graduated to become “obsolete” at some point after the seven -year brand. The Apple Watch Series 1 was abandoned seven years ago in 2018.
Having a vintage product is not so bad: it means that you should To be able to maintain it with official Apple parts, but only if these parts are really available. Once it is obsolete, Apple will no longer serve it, and it will also stop making official parts available to third -party repair workshops. This limits your options to repair the device, and that’s exactly what happened to the Apple Watch Series 1.
What is in a name?
Despite what you might think, the Apple Watch Series 1 is not the same as the original Apple Watch – in a confused way, it is actually a second generation model. Apple released the first Apple Watch in 2015 (after teasing it in 2014), then launched series 1 and series 2 (as part of the same generation) in 2016. The series 1 was essentially a rebadged version of the original Apple Watch with a slightly modified chip inside. The 2 series, on the other hand, was a greater upgrade.
Interestingly, Apple said that series 2 was obsolete in 2024 – before series 1, despite the two from the same generation. Apple stopped selling series 2 in 2017 – a year before series 1 – which could explain the gap. Alternatively, Apple could simply lack pieces for series 2 before those in series 1.
Anyway, the reality is that it will now be more difficult to repair an Apple Watch Series 1 series. You can try your luck in third -party repair workshops, but you are counting on unofficial components rather than the real affair. If you’ve thought of the upgrade, now it’s time to start weighing your options. With the Apple Watch Series 11 just at the corner of the street, there is much to consider.
