iOS 26.5 brings significant interoperability enhancements for third-party wearables, offering European iPhone users new functionalities with non-Apple devices. In compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple now allows third-party wearables access to features previously exclusive to the Apple Watch and AirPods. This includes proximity pairing, enabling third-party earbuds to connect to an iPhone with a simple one-tap process, and interactive notifications forwarding, allowing smartwatches to receive and respond to iPhone notifications. However, notifications can only be forwarded to one device at a time, meaning enabling them on a third-party wearable will disable them on an Apple Watch. Additionally, Live Activities from the iPhone can now be displayed on third-party wearables, akin to the Apple Watch experience. While accessory manufacturers need to integrate these updates, the features are available to all EU users with iOS 26.5. Apple’s Developer Program License Agreement has been updated to ensure forwarded notifications and Live Activities are not used for advertising or data profiling. These expanded functionalities are currently limited to iPhone users in the EU with an Apple account set to an EU region. Despite these changes, Apple has expressed concerns about the implications of the Digital Markets Act, arguing it disrupts the integration of its products and exposes users to potential risks.
Are EU iPhone users getting AirPods-like features for third-party wearables with iOS 26.5?
