Apple ended support early for five Apple Watch models, new class action alleges

Californian Richard Goetz filed a class action lawsuit against Apple Inc. on Aug. 12, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

The complaint alleges Apple sold premium smartwatches for as much as $799 then terminated major software updates for five models while the hardware still worked.

Which Apple Watches lost support

Apple announced watchOS 27 in June 2026. However, five models will stay permanently on watchOS 26 with no further major updates:

  • Apple Watch Series 6
  • Apple Watch Series 7
  • Apple Watch Series 8
  • Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
  • Apple Watch Ultra

The lawsuit claims Apple sold the SE (2nd generation) at full price as recently as fall 2025, less than a year before the announcement that the company dropped it from future software support.

The alleged software tethering

Goetz allegedly bought an Apple Watch Ultra at Apple's Stonestown store in San Francisco around Dec. 17, 2022, paying roughly $799 plus AppleCare+ coverage. Apple never told him how long the device would receive major watchOS releases, the lawsuit alleges. Goetz claims he would have paid substantially less had he known.

The complaint calls the practice "software tethering" and "bricking" and contends the watches will pick up bugs, slow down and, in some cases, stop working without new releases.

Apple decides when a model becomes ineligible for software updates, and buyers cannot opt out, the filing alleges. Goetz cites a November 2024 Federal Trade Commission staff report finding that manufacturers who stop issuing updates, or who never disclose how long support lasts, cause harm consumers cannot reasonably avoid.

The legal claims

The lawsuit brings two causes of action against Apple:

  • Breach of contract, including the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, a principle in every California contract that requires each side to avoid conduct depriving the other of what they bargained for
  • California's Unfair Competition Law, Business and Professions Code Section 17200, under its unfair prong, which covers practices whose harm to consumers outweighs any offsetting benefit

Goetz seeks compensatory damages, restitution, disgorgement, declaratory and injunctive relief, interest, punitive damages and attorneys' fees. He also demands a jury trial.

What this means for Apple Watch owners

The proposed class covers everyone living in California who bought a Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, SE (2nd generation) or original Ultra. Apple sold hundreds of thousands of the affected models nationwide and possibly millions, the complaint estimates.

No settlement exists at this time, and there is no claims process and no money available. Apple has not yet responded in court and no judge has certified a class.