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What you need to know
- Apple's next iOS update may support notification forwarding for third-party smartwatches.
- New features could allow various accessories to connect with iPhones beyond Apple Watch.
- Potential rollout may prioritize the EU due to the Digital Markets Act requirements.
It has always been an uphill battle for those with an iPhone who'd want to use an Android smartwatch. Despite having many cool, affordable, and customizable Android smartwatches available, iPhone owners have been largely limited to Apple Watches, as other brands have struggled to match the same level of compatibility. But that could be changing soon.
Apple seems to be making these changes under the hood, as a recent deep dive into iOS 26.1's beta code, Macworld appears to have spotted notification support for third-party smartwatches. The website noted that the latest iOS beta code showed up with an unreleased "Notification Forwarding" feature, which allows iPhone users to pick a third-party device/ accessory other than the iPhone to show their notifications on.
But here's the catch: within the strings of the code, there's a restriction on this feature that suggests that notifications can only be forwarded to “one accessory at a time,” which means that you'd have to disable notifications on your Apple Watch in case you want to see them on your third-party accessory, which is what most people would do if they own two watches
The website adds that the beta has references to new abilities concerning accessory pairing, including one called “AccessoryExtension.” This again hints at third-party device pairing, which seems to be in the initial stages of development.
That said, there's little to no information on whether this feature would roll out globally or would be restricted to certain regions. However, it is highly likely that this feature could come to the EU region first, considering the DMA (Digital Markets Act) basically forced Apple to make exclusive Apple Watch features available on third-party watches. The DMA decision on March 19 lists out how Apple must provide "effective interoperability" to let any connected device "receive, access, use, respond to, and transmit iOS notifications as well as to select and manage which notifications are displayed."
Apple's upcoming iOS update, expected in October, will likely introduce this feature that extends basic notification support to all third-party smartwatches — including devices like Samsung's Galaxy Watch and other best Android smartwatches out there, but it may not work as seamlessly as an Apple Watch would with an iPhone. So that's still a bargain that users should be willing to make.
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