The original Apple Watch series is now obsolete

Apple

Apple’s 2015 Watch models, including the Hermes and US$17,000 gold versions, are now obsolete. This means they can’t get hardware service or parts from Apple anymore. This raises the issue of “planned obsolescence.” Apple only has to provide parts for five years after it stops selling a product (seven years in France for iPhones and Mac laptops). This policy has faced criticism and legal challenges before, forcing Apple to improve its device reparability and adopt USB-C ports instead of Lightning.

The Watch Edition is a curious case. Unlike regular watches that can last for decades and increase in value, the Watch Edition was always doomed to become outdated. And here's the reminder that it has.

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Microsoft Authenticator for Apple Watch will be discontinued in Jan. 2023

Microsoft's two-step verification app, Microsoft Authenticator, will be one of the latest apps to leave the watchOS App Store. The company will release an update next month to remove the companion app for watchOS. According to Microsoft, the Apple Watch operating system is "incompatible with Authenticator security features." If you already have the app on your Apple Watch, you'll still need to delete it since it won't work after January. The iPhone and iPad versions of the app will still be available for iOS users.

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Wristcam update lets you join a video call without the accessory

With watchOS 9's release coming up, Wristcam is getting a bit of an upgrade. According to Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter, the Wristcam's third-party app on the Apple Watch will allow you to receive video calls from an iPhone without the Wristcam attachment. This means you can send audio and receive video from the other person in the call without sending back video. Wristcam is a niche accessory that adds a video-chat camera to the Apple Watch.

Apple Watch Pro might not support older Apple Watch bands

Apple is rumoured to be unveiling a new Apple Watch Pro during its upcoming "Far Out" event on September 7. And one of the latest leaks about this smartwatch is you can't use older Apple Watch bands with it. Leaker UnclePan, who correctly predicted the screen sizes of the Apple Watch Series 7, claimed on Chinese social media Weibo that the Apple Watch Pro would get a 47mm/48mm displays with wider straps. They said the squared shape of these upcoming watches wouldn't be a perfect fit with the existing bands.

If the reports are accurate, the Apple Watch Pro will be the first Apple Watch that doesn't offer retro compatibility for existing bands. This Watch Pro will reportedly visually differentiate itself from the Series 8, but rumours diverge over whether the watch will get flat edges. The Pro is also expected to feature a "more durable formulation of titanium" to make it a more rugged device, get better battery life, and add support for body temperature measurements.

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