Apple rolls out watchOS 27 cuts, removes Walkie Talkie and raises prices amid chip shortage

Apple announced that the upcoming watchOS 27 will not support a number of recent Apple Watch models, explaining that the newer features require more capable hardware. The Walkie Talkie app was also removed from the watchOS beta, ending the short‑voice‑message function on the devices.

In the same week the company raised prices on a range of products, including Macs, iPads and HomePods. CEO Tim Cook linked the hikes to an acute global shortage of memory and storage chips, driven by soaring demand from AI data centres. The price increases affect twelve Apple devices at launch.

Separately, code found in the tvOS 27 beta suggests that Siri AI will be integrated into the next Apple TV and HomePod models, signalling further AI‑focused upgrades for the brand’s smart‑home lineup.