The European Union has taken credit for new interoperability features in iOS 26.3. The bloc says that this will create a market for new innovative products and services.
The latest beta release has a strong focus on making iOS more open, including much better support for third-party smartwatches …
New iOS 26.3 features
The latest developer beta comes with three new features, two of which are geared to making the platform friendlier to third-party hardware.
The biggest change is a Transfer to Android system, which enables people to transfer all of their data to a new Android device using a system almost identical to setting up a new iPhone.
“Place your Android device next to this iPhone to get connected and begin the transfer process,” Apple explains in the Settings app. Once the two devices are connected, the iPhone user can wirelessly transfer their photos, messages, notes, apps, and more to their new Android device. The system also transfers the user’s phone number to the new device.
The latest Android beta mirrors this with a system for switching from Android to iPhone.
The other big one is Notification Forwarding, to allow iPhone notifications to show up on a third-party smartwatch in the same way it does on the Apple Watch. The second feature is exclusive to users in EU countries in order to comply with antitrust legislation there.
EU takes credit
The WSJ reports the European Commission highlighting the fact that both features were required to comply with the Digital Markets Act.
The European Commission says it welcomes the recently released beta version of Apple’s iOS 26.3 operating system. The watchdog says that developers can now test interoperability with two new features that came up as part of an EU investigation into the company’s terms for connected devices such as smartwatches in March this year under the Digital Markets Act.
“The DMA creates new opportunities for developers to bring to market innovative products and services in Europe,” says a spokesperson. “This is another step towards a more inter-connected digital ecosystem to the benefit of all EU citizens.”
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