Apple drops support for a long list of iPads and Apple Watches with latest OS updates

Apple discontinued support for several older iPad and Apple Watch models with the release of iPadOS 17 and watchOS 10 on June 5, 2023. This year's update marks a significant departure from previous years, dropping support for more device generations than ever before. Specifically, iPadOS 17 will not be compatible with the iPad (5th generation), iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2, and iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 1st generation) and iPad Pro (9.7-inch). Similarly, watchOS 10 will not support the Apple Watch Series 3, Apple Watch Series 2, and Apple Watch Series 1. This move by Apple is a common practice to ensure new software features and performance optimizations are delivered to devices capable of handling them, but it leaves users with older hardware unable to access the latest functionalities and security updates. The decision impacts a considerable number of devices that were released between 2015 and 2017, potentially prompting users to upgrade their hardware to maintain compatibility with Apple's ecosystem.