Is there a way to use Series 1 Apple Watch for Basic Functions?

I don't think your problem is a universal one - it probably involves getting a new phone without transferring data from an older one.

I bought my Apple Watch Series 1 in March 2018 and connected it with my iPhone 6. Later that year, I got an iPhone 7 and transferred everything to the new phone and only seemed to lose a little workout data. Last summer, I transferred everything from the iPhone 7 to an iPhone 14. I currently am running WatchOS 6.3 on the watch and iOS 17.3.1 on the iPhone and have no issues syncing my watch. Of course, I have no idea if I could add a "new" Series 1 at this point.

Some apps that I was using have lost support on the watch (Zwift, HeartCast, etc.) due to requiring WatchOS 8 or higher.... and I did have to replace the battery on my own last year (it swelled and popped the screen off - I fixed it with a $16 battery and kit off of Amazon), but all Apple apps and most others (Fly Delta, SleepWatch, Strava, Pandora, etc.) still work.

Most people are shocked that my watch is a Series 1 and that it still works (doing Apple Maps navigation, Walkie Talkie, Messages, Workouts, Weather, Siri, Music, etc.) more than 7 years after being introduced in Sep. 2016.

If nothing else, I'd think you could pick up or borrow an older iPhone to sync it with.

I have a (1st generation - aka Series 0) watch working with iPhone XR. (both are cast-offs from my son I recently dusted off)

Then this week I had a problem when the iPhone XR was updated to IOS 17.4 - the watch lost connection.

I struggled to re-pair it - the phone would go into a continuous process of checking for updates for the watch.

I reset the watch several times without changing the result.

Eventually I found it could be got working again by pairing manually - the trick here is that all you are offered is to pair by camera - but if you start that process and don't use the camera for pairing there is some way to get to pairing by a code number (might also have to select this on the watch).

No reason to think this makes a difference but watch is Model A1553 Part MJ2T2CH/A software version 4.3.2(15U70)

and phone is Model MT192CH/A (sold on Chinese market)

June 24 now. My first generation Apple Watch is still going strong. It still counts steps, displays my texts, replies and I can still answer calls. I have notifications apart from texts turned off to save battery life, but basic functions all still work. Heart monitor etc all working fine. With all notifications apart from texts turned off, I get about 18 hours battery unless I use it to reply to texts etc. I mostly use it as a check on messages while out for a run, or to check time. Run distance etc etc etc. In the last month, the glue on the back failed and it stayed on the charger when I lifted it off. Although the watch doesn’t update as such, some functions have. A WiFi signal now shows on the watch if I am out of range of my phone but in my home WiFi range. That’s new. A couple blobs of superglue and the back is good to go. I think the heat in Turkey on holiday two weeks ago finally dissolved the glue. Still does what I want from a watch and been in daily use for close to 9 years now. I’ve only twice had to reset and syncs with an iPhone 15. I plan to hopefully get a few more years if it keeps going like it has.

Unfortunately that is not a realistic expectation. Again, a smartwatch is a tech gadget first. At its core requires the ability to be compatible with technologies to function. An Apple Watch has always required before it could ever be used to be compatible and able to pair with an iPhone for setup let alone use (this is true even for watches eligible for Family setup. It still must first be setup via pairing to a compatible phone). What you are asking for is for Apple to infinitely support obsolete and outdated technology no matter what. It is not realistic. It would be different if the Apple Watch never required owning or having access to an iPhone to initiate use. That just never was the case. So expecting it to do something it never did is asking for something you were never given, entitled to, and never should have expected. The Apple Watch series one stopped being supported a little over 3 years ago. It’s unfortunate but unless you maintained a phone that did not update to an incompatible iOS you were going to face this issue eventually.

Maybe you have a friend or family that would allow you to pair your watch with their older iPhone, signing in on your iCloud on their device. Then you could adjust time and date, log out of their iPhone, but since you're still online on your iCloud on your own device, it could get your messages if you're lucky.

Or look for a cheap old iPhone on marketplace.

I don't know why KaeBFly and yourself imply so much that it is not possible to use, but it is for me. I have an iPhone XR with the latest version 17.2.1 and an Apple Watch S1 updated to WatchOs 6.3 and they work fine together. I can do a bunch of things with it. It was a hassle to update it, but if it doesn't work for you, try contacting apple support, or use reddit, or troubleshoot it somehow...

Not a brick - My series 1 watch is working fine (IOS 4.3.2) with iPhone Xr with IOS 17.4.1

[Updating the watch after not using it a long time was a bit difficult but all ok now]

It is technology that happens to be in Watch form. There is no such thing as a tech product being infinitely non-obsolete. It can’t and won’t be infinitely supported. It can’t and won’t be infinitely able to work with other technologies (like newer phones or with newer OS). Parts can’t and won’t infinitely be available to replace or repair it. That’s just not realistic. If you purchase a tech gadget for the jewelry aspect of it it’s the wrong move. It does not increase in value like true expensive jewelry would (that is well taken care of). “Real” jewelry doesn’t rely on firmware or software updates. Doesn’t require a rechargeable battery, access to electricity, WiFi, etc.

What exactly is happening with your watch? Will it no longer power on? Some sort of damage? Something else physically going on (not including the inability to connect to a phone or function with some apps due to its incompatibility with iOS or newer WatchOS)? Might help someone give you some suggestions. But if it’s because of it incompatibility….that’s just a reality and nothing you can do.

The weird thing is that I just paired an Apple Watch Series 1 with my iPhone 14, running iOS 17.4.1.

its working fine and it’s the second Series 1 watch that I have paired right now.

Nutty.

is there a date when they’ll all stop working for sure?

Apple could have easily released a legacy mode for the series one so its basic functions remain intact and newer functions won't work. It doesn't make sense to make a fully functional product a brick because of os updates.

My 2014 Mac book pro is unsupported by I can still browse the web and get the correct time.

Something like telling time and pulling weather from the internet seems incredibly possible. My $12 Casio can tell time a decade after I bought it, a smart watch several hundreds of times the price should be able to function as a watch 8 years later.

I'm amazed how much apple abuses its fan base and we keep lining up for more. The worst thing about OS updates is it will eventually brick your older devices and they won't tell you upfront. Always do research before updating.

My wife has an iPhone 12 and an series 1 Apple watch and she is still able to use her watch regularly. I have the iPhone 12 mini and the same watch, but I cant update the watch to use it. The only difference is I wasn't using my watch regularly and my wife was....btw my phone telling me 3-6 day to download update to watch

They just can’t pair it to the new phone because it’s not compatible with watchOS 10.