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haralds

macrumors 68030
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Jan 3, 2014
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Silicon Valley, CA
Series 0 uses watchOS 4.3.2, Series 1 & 2 uses 6.3.

There are at least two reports that installing iOS 15 beta causes crash/boot loops that are not recoverable.

I have been dealing with this for weeks first suspecting a bad battery. The watch will continue to cycle (sometimes holding for a while) even when disconnected. Re-pairing does not solve the issue. I had this with a "known good" refurb from Apple, who looked at my reports and also declared the original "good."

I have filed feedback as a bug report. But knowing Apple I am not sure they care. Looking at the behavior this is likely an incompatibility of data structures exchanged between the iPhone and the watch. Once the data is in the watch cache, it become broken.

Caveat emptor.

Please note your observations and file a bug report, if you see this, too.
 

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
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This Wikipedia page has the cut off devices for some watchOS versions, and I suspect this could be why it is incompatible. Feedback report could help, but apple would probably just say “upgrade your watch”.
 

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
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Correct with limitations of watchOS. Up to now it has not limited compatibility with newer versions of iOS.
Which is what Apple should’ve been upfront with at the beginning, especially since watchOS 5 where they drop support for some Apple watches.

Hope those watches are not your main Apple Watch.
 

haralds

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Jan 3, 2014
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Silicon Valley, CA
Which is what Apple should’ve been upfront with at the beginning, especially since watchOS 5 where they drop support for some Apple watches.

Hope those watches are not your main Apple Watch.
No, but there is no reason to drop support. They are not adding new feature, but just taking care of safe data structures. Think of all those folks who bought the expensive high end stuff!!!
 

haralds

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 3, 2014
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Silicon Valley, CA
I think it is fine not to add new features or new versions. I have had many Macs stuck at earlier versions of macOS. But that does not stop the utility of the Mac. You can still use it. With watchOS this bug kills it.
There are no new firmware updates for the AirPods gen 1, but they still connect and play.
My SS S0 was about $900 with AppleCare. Bricking it after 6 years is NOT ok.
 
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haralds

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Jan 3, 2014
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Silicon Valley, CA
Since this also seems to impact watchOS 6.3, it will also brick Series 1&2. Series 2 watches are 4 years old or less depending on when you bought them.
 

bricktop_at

macrumors 68000
Apr 4, 2017
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Well since the final version of iOS 15 is still some time away, I‘m hopeful they will fix it along the way. Surely not top priority at the moment, but I don’t think they are going to cut off older watches completely.
 
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Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
16,271
11,768
I think it is fine not to add new features or new versions. I have had many Macs stuck at earlier versions of macOS. But that does not stop the utility of the Mac. You can still use it. With watchOS this bug kills it.
There are no new firmware updates for the AirPods gen 1, but they still connect and play.
My SS S0 was about $900 with AppleCare. Bricking it after 6 years is NOT ok.
This is the danger of big tech dictating what users should use and should not use, and arbitrarily cut off for the sake of mostly nonsensical reasons (stability improvements, performance etc).
 

haralds

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Original poster
Jan 3, 2014
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Silicon Valley, CA
Apple really should be upfront about this incompatibility thing, or tech news sites should investigate and bring it up so more people would be aware of apples secret cutoff.
I think it's a bug right now. But Apple often lives with those unless they get a lot of noise about it.
 

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
16,271
11,768
I think it's a bug right now. But Apple often lives with those unless they get a lot of noise about it.
Let’s hope it’s a bug that Apple will fix, but I doubt there will be a ton of noises about it.
 

Turnerzzzz

macrumors newbie
Sep 22, 2021
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0
It's been working with my Series 0 for the FC.
I just tested on the release and it's working fine for connecting and installing apps.
Hi Haralds! So glad i found your thread.
So im holding back updating my iphone to ios 15 because im afraid it wont pair with my watch series 1 running watchos 6.3.

i have bad history with ios update and series 1 previously.
I forgot to update my watch to 6.3 before unpair it from my ios 12 iphone and sold the phone, after that i cant pair it with my ios 14 phone.
Long story short all fixed and now there is this.

so all good with upgrading the ios to 15? I can still use my series 1 6.3?

thanks so much mate!
 

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haralds

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 3, 2014
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Silicon Valley, CA
I have not tested with Series 1, but it should work. They are on the same watchOS.
I know Apple engineers worked on it because I had made it a bug and they gave feedback it was fixed.
 

kagharaht

macrumors 68000
Oct 7, 2007
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I have two Series 0 or 1st generation. I can confirm, it will pair with iOS 15 but the problem is, you will get a constant reminder to sign in with your Apple ID with the watch. When you do, it will prompt you that its incompatible with iOS 15 and you need a higher version OS watch to pair. Very reason I won't get a new Apple Watch. Unlike good old analog watches that can last till you die and beyond, these "smart watches" have limited lifespan.
 
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