Time is about to be up for the ageing Apple Watch Series 3, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman who has shared that he expects Apple to discontinue the wearable later this year with the release of the second-generation Apple Watch SE and new Apple Watch Series 8.
Apple continues to sell the Apple Watch Series 3, despite having the Apple Watch Series 7 and low-cost Apple Watch SE in its lineup. Priced from $199, the Apple Watch Series 3 has stood strong for some time, offering an affordable option for those new to the Apple Watch however, the model isn’t without its quirks.
For one, Apple Watch Series 3 owners are required to restore their wearable when updating to a new watchOS version, leaving users to unpair and re-pair their Apple Watch to their iPhone each time a new software update is released due to storage space constraints.
The Apple Watch Series 3 also doesn’t support watchOS 9, the wearable’s next major update arriving later this year. With this in mind, Gurman says he expects Apple to kill off the device with the release of this year’s new Apple Watch models.
The Apple Watch Series 3 is available in 42mm or 38mm case size, compared to the 45mm or 41mm options on the Apple Watch Series 7. The wearable lacks the Blood Oxygen app and ECG capabilities of the newer models, also missing the Compass, Fast Charging support, the always-on altimeter, and more.
In April, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he too believes Apple will retire the Apple Watch Series 3 this year, five years after it was first launched back in 2017.
