So long, Series 8! It seems Apple has finally decided that your trusty old Apple Watch deserves a one-way ticket to device purgatory with the release of watchOS 27. According to the latest update from The Verge, if you’re still rocking anything older than the Series 9 or Ultra 2, it’s time to bid farewell to those beloved models—Series 8 and below are officially on the chopping block. Apple often plays the role of a tech gatekeeper, but this year they’ve really upped their game in culling the herd.

The article initially claimed that watchOS 27 would only run on Apple Watch Series 10 and above, as well as Ultra 2 and beyond, leaving SE 3 models in the mix. But wait, there’s more! After some sleuthing, Apple sweetened the deal by including the Series 9 in the supported lineup—phew, one less upgrade to rush for! However, if you were still clinging to a Series 8, it seems you missed the boat unless you’re lucky enough to snag one of those elusive late-bird reports.

Now, let’s roast this decision a bit: Apple has always prided itself on making its ecosystem feel like a seamless, integrated whole, yet here they are, arbitrarily cutting off support for perfectly functional watches just to push sales. It’s almost as if they forgot that not everyone can afford the latest and greatest every year—some of us still wear our Series 8 with pride! Plus, does Apple really think we’ll all rush out to replace our trusty Series 8 models within a month of the announcement? Talk about creating artificial scarcity!

In the grand scheme of things, dropping support for older Apple Watch generations isn’t unprecedented, but this year’s cull feels particularly steep. With watchOS 27 promising new features and optimizations, those still wearing Series 8 might find themselves a bit behind the curve—especially if they haven’t upgraded to the Series 9 or Ultra 2 yet. But hey, at least the Apple Watch SE 3 gets to ride the wave into the sunset! So, if you’re an Apple aficionado who can’t live without the latest tech, it’s time to upgrade—or risk being left in digital darkness.