iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

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The European Commission contiguous praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing successful iOS 26.3, erstwhile again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers.


The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to supply third-party accessories with the aforesaid capabilities and entree to instrumentality features that Apple's ain products get. In iOS 26.3, EU wearable instrumentality makers tin present trial proximity pairing and improved notifications.

Here are the caller capabilities that Apple is adding:

  • Proximity pairing - Devices similar earbuds volition beryllium capable to brace with an iOS instrumentality successful an AirPods-like mode by bringing the accessory adjacent to an iPhone oregon iPad to initiate a simple, one-tap pairing process. Pairing third-party devices volition nary longer necessitate aggregate steps.

  • Notifications - Third-party accessories similar astute watches volition beryllium capable to person notifications from the ‌iPhone‌. Users volition beryllium capable to presumption and respond to incoming notifications, which is functionality usually constricted to the Apple Watch. Notifications tin lone beryllium forwarded to 1 connected instrumentality astatine a time, and turning connected notifications for a third-party instrumentality disables notifications to an Apple Watch.


The European Commission says that developers tin trial third-party TVs, astute watches, and headphones with the caller features successful iOS 26.3, with the functionality to beryllium "fully disposable successful Europe" successful 2026.

iOS 26.3 offers "another measurement towards a much inter-connected integer ecosystem to the payment of each EU citizens," according to the European Commission. iOS 26.3 is expected to motorboat astatine the extremity of January.

The changes to proximity pairing and notifications are lone disposable for instrumentality makers and ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users successful the European Union.
This article, "iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices successful EU Under DMA" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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