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Mark Gurman’s report that Apple planned to bring more AI features to Apple Watch was broadly borne out: Apple announced Apple Intelligence and Siri AI for watchOS 27 on June 8, 2026. But this is not a standalone AI system for every watch. Apple says supported features require a compatible Apple Watch and a nearby Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, with additional language, region and accessory requirements for some features.
What Gurman reported—and what Apple confirmed
Before Apple’s announcement, reporting attributed to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Apple planned to add more AI features to the watch through watchOS 27, with the iPhone expected to power at least some of them. A summary of those comments is available from 9to5Mac. That report was about Apple’s plans, not a promise that every iPhone Apple Intelligence feature would come to the watch.
Apple made the broader direction official on June 8, 2026, announcing Apple Intelligence and Siri AI for watchOS 27. The company said supported users would get access in fall 2026 alongside its new operating-system releases. Siri AI on Apple Watch was slated for a future watchOS 27 developer beta, followed by a user beta; an announcement is not the same as general availability. Apple’s announcements describe the next-generation Apple Intelligence and watchOS 27 and Siri AI’s rollout.
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What Apple Intelligence features are coming to Apple Watch?
Siri AI
Apple has announced Siri AI support on watchOS 27, but its public announcement does not establish that every new Siri capability will be available on the watch, or that all features will arrive at the same time. Do not assume the watch will get the full set of personal-context, onscreen-awareness or app-action capabilities described for Apple’s broader platforms. Apple’s stated beta sequence is a future watchOS 27 developer beta, then a user beta, with supported devices set to English.
#1 Best Overall
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Workout Buddy
Apple has also announced Apple Intelligence-powered Workout Buddy updates. For this watch feature, Apple lists a Series 9 or later, Ultra 2 or later, or SE 3; a paired Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone; Bluetooth headphones or speakers; and English or Spanish set as the device and Siri language. The audio requirement matters: a compatible watch by itself is not enough, and the feature is less useful for someone who exercises without Bluetooth audio. Apple describes these requirements in its Apple Intelligence feature overview. Workout Buddy is a coaching and motivation feature, not a substitute for medical advice or a professional trainer.
Other intelligent watchOS changes
watchOS 27 is also set to add a dynamic app grid with Siri-suggested apps, a Smart Stack opened with a new tap gesture, and a consolidated Find My app. These are watchOS features, but Apple’s announcement does not make each one a generative Apple Intelligence feature. They should not be conflated with Siri AI or Workout Buddy.
Rank #2
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Which Apple Watch and iPhone models are required?
Apple’s Apple Intelligence eligibility begins with Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch SE 3. Its separate watchOS 27 compatibility page names the supported models below. General watchOS compatibility does not itself guarantee access to Apple Intelligence.
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Device or requirement | Apple’s stated compatibility | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Series | Series 9, Series 10 and Series 11 | Eligible for the listed Apple Intelligence watch features, subject to the paired-iPhone and feature-specific requirements. |
| Apple Watch Ultra | Ultra 2 and Ultra 3 | Eligible for the listed Apple Intelligence watch features, subject to the paired-iPhone and feature-specific requirements. |
| Apple Watch SE | SE 3 | Eligible for the listed Apple Intelligence watch features, subject to the paired-iPhone and feature-specific requirements. |
| Older watches | Series 8 and earlier, original Ultra and Ultra 1, and SE models before SE 3 are outside Apple’s published watchOS 27 list | They are not on Apple’s stated compatibility list for these features. |
| iPhone for Apple Intelligence | iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 models or later | An Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone must be nearby. |
| iPhone for watchOS 27 pairing | iPhone 11 or later, or iPhone SE (2nd generation) or later, with iOS 27 | This broader operating-system requirement does not mean these older phones support Apple Intelligence. |
Apple lists the watchOS 27-compatible models and states the Apple Intelligence device requirements in its platform announcement. In practice, a Series 9 paired with an iPhone that can run iOS 27 but cannot run Apple Intelligence may install the watch update while missing its AI-dependent features.
Rank #3
- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
Does the AI run on the watch or the iPhone?
The safest description is a watch-and-iPhone system, not a fully independent AI computer on your wrist. The watch supplies the interface and context; Apple’s published requirement for a nearby Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone makes the phone an essential part of the setup. Apple has not established in the cited announcements that the watch independently runs the same AI capabilities as an eligible iPhone, or that every feature works offline. Cellular service on the watch does not replace Apple’s stated nearby-iPhone requirement.
When will the features arrive?
Apple announced the features on June 8, 2026, and said supported users would get access in fall 2026 with the next major software releases. For Siri AI on Apple Watch specifically, Apple described a future watchOS 27 developer beta followed by a user beta. As of August 18, 2026, that announcement did not establish that the watch version was already generally available; beta access and final feature timing can differ from the broad fall window.
Rank #4
- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
Languages and regional limits
Apple lists English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, simplified and traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean for Apple Intelligence overall. That broad list does not override feature-specific requirements: Apple lists English or Spanish for the announced Workout Buddy updates, while Siri AI’s beta note specifies supported devices set to English.
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Best Value
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Should you upgrade your Apple Watch for AI?
If your watch is Series 8 or older
Apple’s published list excludes these models from watchOS 27. If access to the announced AI-dependent features is the goal, a compatible watch is necessary—but it is only one part of the requirement. Check the iPhone and feature conditions before buying.
If you already have a Series 9, Ultra 2 or newer
Your watch is on Apple’s stated eligible line. If it is paired with a qualifying iPhone, there is no reason to replace the watch solely to reach the announced compatibility threshold. Whether the features are useful to you depends on your interest in Siri, workouts and the release available in your language and region.
If your iPhone is the limiting device
A newer watch cannot make an ineligible iPhone support Apple Intelligence. Some owners may face a two-device decision, but the right move is to identify which device blocks the feature they actually want before replacing anything. Apple’s requirements distinguish the iPhone needed to pair with watchOS 27 from the more capable iPhone needed for Apple Intelligence.
If you are buying a watch specifically for Apple Intelligence
SE 3 is the least expensive entry in Apple’s stated compatible watch family; Series 11 is the mainstream premium choice, while Ultra 3 is aimed at buyers who also want its rugged, outdoor-oriented hardware. Apple’s U.S. store listed SE 3 from $249 for the 40mm GPS model, $279 for 44mm GPS and $299 for GPS + Cellular; those are U.S. prices observed for the specified configurations, not universal prices. Apple’s general U.S. shopping page listed Series 11 from $399. The AI eligibility itself does not establish that the more expensive models provide more Apple Intelligence capability. Check current configuration and pricing on Apple’s SE 3 buying page and watch shopping page before purchase.
What is still not established
- That every new Siri AI feature on iPhone will also work on Apple Watch.
- That Apple Watch runs a complete, independent generative AI system or works offline for these features.
- That all announced capabilities will be available at the initial software release rather than arriving through betas or later updates.
- That watchOS predictive features such as Siri-suggested apps are all Apple Intelligence features.
Apple’s broader Apple Intelligence availability notes also mention limits for some features and expanded access through most iCloud+ plans, but do not state that iCloud+ is required for Apple Watch Siri AI or Workout Buddy. Apple warns that certain AI-powered accessibility functions should not be relied on in high-risk circumstances, navigation, or medical diagnosis and treatment; that caution is set out in its Apple Intelligence availability information.
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