Apple's upcoming software updates signal major hardware transitions, with iOS 27 supporting the broadest range of iPhones yet, including the iPhone 11 and second-gen SE. However, macOS Golden Gate completely drops Intel Macs, marking the final transition away from pre-Apple Silicon machines. This ends Rosetta 2 support, cutting off Intel app compatibility after this release.

watchOS 27 makes the most aggressive cuts, dropping Series 6-8, original Ultra, and SE2 models, effectively erasing three years of device support. Meanwhile, iPadOS 27 raises its minimum to A14 Bionic or M1 chips, eliminating older iPads from updates. These decisions reflect Apple's push toward newer hardware for AI-powered features.

iOS 27 introduces significant interface changes, with notifications sliding in from the left and a new Siri AI replacing Spotlight search. The update also brings enhanced Writing Tools, redesigned Genmoji, and Visual Intelligence expansion to iPad and Mac. These features require newer hardware, accelerating the lifecycle of older devices.