The second-generation smartwatch—not to be confused with the OG model—can no longer be repaired by Apple or its partners
It’s the end of an era for one of Apple’s earliest smartwatches, as the company has officially moved the Apple Watch Series 1 to its ‘obsolete’ products list.
This designation—found on the brand’s support page—means that, after more than seven years since it was last sold, Apple and its authorized service providers will no longer offer repairs or source official parts for the device.
For those still clinging to the 2016 wearable, this marks the final nail in the coffin. While the ‘vintage’ status it previously held meant repairs were possible if parts were available, ‘obsolete’ is the final stop. Any future repairs will now have to rely on third-party shops using unofficial components.
It’s important to clear up a common point of confusion, too: the Series 1 was not the very first Apple Watch, the OG. It was actually a second-generation model launched alongside the more powerful (and waterproof, if you remember) Apple Watch Series 2, serving as a budget-friendly option with a slightly faster processor than the 2015 launch model.
Interestingly, the more capable Series 2 was declared obsolete last year. This is because Apple continued to sell the lower-cost Series 1 until 2018, a year after it discontinued the Series 2, and the seven-year obsolescence clock starts from the last date of sale.
While we haven’t recommended this model in our Apple Watch buyer’s guide for many, many years, the news serves as a final reminder to any remaining users that now (if not many years ago) is definitely the time to upgrade.
