The opening keynote for WWDC 2026 has concluded with many announcements related to intelligence features. This is a huge departure from previous WWDC keynotes, where sections focused solely on each software platform, like iOS and macOS. But that format wasn’t considered necessary, as the new intelligence features Apple just discussed will be shared across multiple software platforms. To answer the big question for you, here are the lists of all supported devices that will support version 27 of all Apple platforms.
macOS
Starting off the list, as Apple announced last year, macOS 27, dubbed “Golden Gate”, will drop support for Intel-based Macs. This means that macOS 27 will be compatible with all Macs with Apple silicon, including:
- MacBook Neo (A18 Pro)
- MacBook Air (M1 and later)
- MacBook Pro (M1 series and later)
- iMac (M1 and later)
- Mac mini (M1 and later)
- Mac Studio (M1 Max/M1 Ultra and later)
- Mac Pro (M2 Ultra)
Rosetta 2 will still be supported in macOS 27, but it will be phased out in subsequent major releases of macOS.
iPadOS
Moving onto the iPad, iPadOS 27 will drop support for older iPad models with the A12 chip or the A12X chip, so iPadOS 27 will be compatible with these devices:
- iPad mini (A15 and A17 Pro)
- iPad (A13, A14, A16)
- iPad Air (A14, M1, M2, M3, and M4)
- iPad Pro (A12Z, M1, M2, M4, and M5)
watchOS
However, in an unexpected move, Apple decided to drop support for the Apple Watch Series 9 for the upcoming release of watchOS 27. This definitely seems very odd, considering that the Series 9 has the exact same system-in-package (SiP) as the Ultra 2 (which will otherwise be supported by watchOS 27). To add more insult to injury, the Series 9 actually has the same dual-core processor (not talking about the SiP) as the one used in every model in today’s Apple Watch lineup. Now, the reason why watchOS 27 won’t support the Series 9 remains unclear, as there are virtually no new features except for Siri, possibly due to battery concerns related to the new Siri. Nevertheless, here’s the list of all the models that watchOS 27 will support:
- Apple Watch SE 3
- Apple Watch Series 10 and Series 11
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Ultra 3
iOS
As a prerequisite, watchOS 27 will require an iPhone model running iOS 27, and believe it or not, all iPhone models supported by iOS 26 will be compatible with iOS 27, including models with the A13 chip. Here’s the list:
- iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)
- iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 / 12 mini / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 / 13 mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 / 14 Plus / 14 Pro / 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 / 15 Plus / 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 / 16e / 16 Plus / 16 Pro / 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 17 / 17e / 17 Pro / 17 Pro Max
- iPhone Air
One more important thing to know is that just because your devices may run any of the next generation of Apple’s software platforms, that doesn’t mean you can use them all. At the end of the keynote, Apple explicitly stated that its most powerful on-device models will be capable of running all of the new Apple Intelligence features that were just discussed. Here’s the list with even more caveats:
- iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro
- iPad with M4 and later (with 12GB or more in memory)
- Mac with M3 and later (with 12GB or more in memory)
In summary, your Apple device will need at least 12GB of memory to run all of the new Apple Intelligence features. So if you’re thinking of trying out the new features later in the fall, you may not be happy with this list. What remains to be seen is whether either of the Vision Pro models (M2 or M5) will be capable of running the new Apple Intelligence features, but we’ll see.
Still, regardless of what supported device you have, you could still be happy with the other enhancements that Apple is planning for this fall’s launch, especially for Mac users who have been complaining about Tahoe’s infamous bugs and flaws. Developer betas have been rolled out today, and public betas will follow sometime next month before the official launch in the fall.
