An internal memo snagged by MacRumors reveals that all first-gen Apple Watch models launched in 2015 have landed on Apple’s obsolete products list as of September 30. This means no more repairs or services for the outdated Watch Series 0 at Apple Stores or Authorized Service Provider locations.
Included in the obsolete lineup is the first-gen Apple Watch Edition featuring an 18-karat gold casing that once rang in at $17,000 in the US. The golden Apple Watch took its bow in 2016, making way for a more wallet-friendly ceramic Apple Watch Edition, priced up to $1,299. On the software front, watchOS 5 waved goodbye to compatibility with the solid-gold Apple Watch in 2018.
All 38mm and 42mm aluminum and stainless steel variants of the original Apple Watch, Hermès editions included, are also now officially obsolete. Apple slaps the technological obsolescence label on a product once more than seven years have passed since it ceased retail distribution. The original Apple Watch, which was discontinued in September 2016, recently hit that seven-year mark.
With the arrival of new models, like the just-released Apple Watch Series 9, which is way ahead of the original, it was high time for the old one to step down. Simply put, technology is moving fast, and older smartwatches, like the Apple Watch Series 0, are getting left behind.
The main hiccup with the first-gen Apple Watch was its lackluster performance. Interactions were often frustratingly sluggish, leading users to prefer reaching for their iPhones instead. And let’s be real, selling $10,000+ gold editions that aged quickly probably wasn’t the brightest idea.
However, if you have a pristine original Apple Watch, or better yet, one still in the box, holding onto it might not be a bad idea. After all, an original 4GB iPhone from 2007 in a still sealed box was recently sold for a whopping $158,644.
