Apple Watch Series 3 could finally get the boot this year

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Apple Watch Music
It's about time.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple might discontinue the Apple Watch Series 3 later this year, according to a new report.

The device stuck around this long — five years after its 2017 introduction — as a more-affordable alternative to newer Apple Watch models. But in recent years, performance and storage constraints caused all kinds of frustrations for Apple Watch Series 3 owners.

Apple Watch Series 3’s days are numbered

Apple Watch Series 3 doesn’t just look old with its tiny, square display. It also feels it. Its S3 chip, which once felt snappy for a smartwatch processor, now lags way behind the S5 and S7 chipsets in newer Apple Watch models.

But it’s the storage situation that makes Series 3 a real headache to use in 2022. With just 8GB available — some of which is used up by watchOS itself — there’s little storage left over for apps and music files. The lack of storage space also makes installing software updates painful for Series 3 owners.

We all thought (hoped) Apple Watch 3 would be killed off last year with the introduction of Series 7, but Cupertino surprised us by holding onto it for yet another year. The device could finally head to the scrapheap this fall.

So long, Apple Watch 3

Apple Watch Series 3 may go to end-of-life (EOL) in 3Q22 because the computing power can’t meet the requirements of the new watchOS,” tweeted TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Monday.

That likely would mean that Apple Watch SE becomes the cheapest model on offer. Apple Watch Series 7 could stick around as a slightly more affordable alternative to the upcoming Series 8 lineup. However, Kuo doesn’t offer any details.

It also remains unclear what the watchOS 9 upgrade will bring that makes it unsuitable for Apple Watch 3. Kuo’s tweet suggests Apple will add significant improvements that require more power. However, he gives no indication what to expect.

Apple Watch 8 to bring new sensors

As for Apple Watch Series 8, we expect significant internal upgrades that could include a body temperature sensor — a first for Apple Watch — plus faster chipsets and improved activity tracking.

Apple reportedly plans to release its first “rugged” Apple Watch model in 2022. Aimed at extreme sport enthusiasts, the device supposedly will bring a stronger, more robust design better-suited to harsh environments.

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