The outdated tag means the end of hardware support.
Apple’s first-generation Apple Watch is no longer available for repair or upgrade as the company has declared the product “obsolete.” This includes the premium 18-karat gold version, which backs Apple’s seven-year warranty policy. The watch was released in 2015 with a price range of $10,000 to $17,000 and was only available for a year before Apple replaced it with less luxurious watch variants, according to a report in The edge.
The outdated tag not only means the end of software updates, but also the end of hardware support. The company no longer offers parts, repairs or replacement services for the watch at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers. It should be noted that the original Apple Watch, also known as Series 0, was never updated beyond watchOS 4.3.2 in 2018.
According to Apple’s website, the company considers a product that has been out of production for more than seven years to be technologically outdated. The first-generation devices have just passed that seven-year milestone since the original Apple Watch was discontinued in September 2016 in favor of the Series 2 and Series 1 versions.
The solid gold Apple Watch Edition was a pet project of Jony Ive, Apple’s previous chief designer. Celebrities were seen wearing it when it first debuted, including German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and singer Beyonce, who paired it with a gold link bracelet that was never made available to the general public.
Not only this, all other 38mm and 42mm aluminum and stainless steel models of the original Hermes-branded Apple Watch are also considered obsolete. The ceramic Apple Watch Edition, which could be purchased for up to $1,299, was later replaced by the solid gold Apple Watch in 2016.
Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were launched on September 12 at the company’s Wonderlust event. The wearable smartwatches come with significant upgrades over their previous models. The Apple Watch Series 9 is offered in Midnight, Pink, (Product) Red, Starlight and Silver color options and is priced at Rs. 41,900, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is priced at Rs. 89,900. It comes with Alpine Loop, Trail Loop and Ocean tire options.
