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

No, the incompatibility excuse doesn’t hold water with regard to basic functions in a device. Artificially created obsolescence is a form of corporate fraud.

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...

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.

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 What you are asking for is for Apple to infinitely support obsolete and outdated technology no matter what.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.

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.

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.

I don’t know what issues you’re having with yours but I’m still wearing my series 1 and there’s no issue with it whatsoever

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]

I use mine fine for time, looks good on wrist too, stainless steel version and strap, i know what you mean about apple not supporting, should get our money back or an updated version with alot of discount, but sure cannot fight the big companys, they do what they want

It's called "Apple Watch", but that doesn't mean it's a watch. It's a computer that's an extension of another device. Even a Fax Machine has several other dependencies. If I have a Fax Machine that only works with a POTS phone line; I can't expect the manufacturer to hand over a network card so I can keep faxing like it's 1999.

FWIW, I have a Series 1 Apple Watch that, powers, pairs with the iPhone, and does everything it's supposed to. Apple even replaced it at no cost several years back (swollen battery recall/battery) so it's just like new.

Maybe the "bricked" devices didn't get the replacement?

I'll even sell it to whoever wants it. 🤷

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?