Particle.news
Download on the App Store
9 ARTICLES
·
1h ago

iOS 26.1 Beta Hints at Notification Forwarding to Third‑Party Wearables

Unreleased code suggests an EU‑driven move to open iPhone alerts to non‑Apple devices, with a one‑accessory limit that disables Apple Watch notifications.

A close-up of five smartwatch on a wooded surface including the Apple Watch SE, Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, Google Pixel Watch 3 XL, Apple Watch 10 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
blank
Image
iOS 26.1 logo on a blue and green background.

Overview

  • Strings found in iOS 26.1 beta 1 reference a Notification Forwarding setting to display iPhone alerts on a non‑Apple device or accessory.
  • The code notes forwarding works with only one accessory at a time and says Apple Watch notifications will not appear while the feature is enabled, with language about choosing which apps can send alerts.
  • References to new, unfinished pairing frameworks — including one called AccessoryExtension — point to a potential new method for connecting third‑party hardware.
  • Apple has not announced the feature, and reports caution it may not ship with the public iOS 26.1 release expected in October.
  • Coverage ties the work to EU Digital Markets Act interoperability requirements and cites parallel U.S. DOJ scrutiny of limits on third‑party smartwatch functionality.