Apple is opening up its walled garden further with iOS 26.3. As part of the update, it will allow third-party Bluetooth earbuds to pair with an iPhone just as seamlessly as AirPods.
It will also enable third-party smartwatches and wearables to receive and mirror notifications from the iPhone.
AirPods-like pairing coming to non-Apple earbuds
The European Union’s Digital Markets Act has forced Apple to make big changes to the App Store and iOS. This includes allowing third-party app stores, sideloading apps, and making device repairs easier.
With iOS 26.3, Apple will introduce more changes to adhere to the Digital Market Act and make interoperability easier (via MacRumors).
Third-party accessory makers in the EU can take advantage of proximity pairing and offer a one-step pairing process. So far, only Apple accessories have offered such a seamless pairing process — you only need to bring the device close to the iPhone or iPad to initiate the pairing.
Notification mirroring will benefit non-Apple watches
Likewise, to ensure non-Apple wearables and watches work better with iPhone, iOS 26.3 will enable notification forwarding. This option is already present in the first iOS 26.3 beta. However, Apple notes that the notification forwarding functionality will only work with one paired device. So, you cannot use an Apple Watch and a third-party wearable together and get notifications on both.
The European Commission praised Apple for these changes that will benefit all EU citizens.
Unfortunately, users will have to wait longer to try out these enhancements. The European Commission notes that Apple is allowing third-party developers to test these changes in iOS 26.3. The final public rollout in Europe will happen sometime in 2026.
Apple is also working with Google to make device migration easier. iOS 26.3 contains a new migration tool that helps transfer contacts, messages, and other data between iPhones and Android phones with fewer headaches. Again, the tool might not be fully ready to go live with iOS 26.3’s public release early next year. Instead, it may debut later in the year.
Rajesh has been closely following and writing about the latest happenings in the world of mobile for nearly a decade now. While he prefers Android, he does not deny the superiority of Apple’s products and ecosystem.
