IOS 26.3: New Features For Your IPhone - 9to5Mac

Apple released the first iOS 26.3 beta recently for iPhone users. The update focuses a lot on interoperability between iPhone and Android devices, as well as support for third-party smartwatches. Here are all of the new iOS 26.3 features so far.

Updated December 23, 2025 with new EU features.

iOS 26.3 new features

Android transfer

The big change in iOS 26.3 is a new “Transfer to Android” system, which makes it easier for an iPhone user to switch to an Android device. This new system was developed as part of a joint collaboration between Apple and Google.

The latest Android beta adds a similar system for switching from Android to iPhone. The goal is to improve interoperability between the two platforms.

“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.

Apple notes, however, that sensitive information like Health data, Bluetooth devices, locked notes, and more is not transferred to the Android device as part of this process.

Apple and Google, however, say that new data types will be added as they continue the beta testing process across both platforms.

9to5Mac is supported by Samsung:

Notification forwarding

Next, iOS 26.3 adds a new “Notification Forwarding” system that allows iPhone notifications to show up on a third-party smartwatch or other wearable form factor.

“Notifications can be forwarded to one accessory at a time,” Apple explains. “Notifications will not appear on Apple Watch while Notification Forwarding is turned on.”

You can find this new option in the “Notifications” menu in the Settings app.

The feature, however, is limited to the European Union. Apple is preparing for the upcoming DMA rules that will force Apple to allow third-party devices to display notifications forwarded from the iPhone.

Apple argues that this is a threat to user privacy, but the company ultimately has no choice but to comply for now.

More EU features

In addition to the new Notification Forwarding feature, the EU confirmed that iOS 26.3 includes these changes:

Proximity pairing similar to AirPods for third0party accessories: More info
New NFC features for using an iPhone to initiate connected devices without the presence of an iPhone: More info
High-bandwidth Wi-Fi connection for peer-to-peer use: More info
- This is what’s being used to power the new Android-iPhone switching features, too.

In a statement to 9to5Mac, the European Union addressed these new features:

New opportunities are brought to European users as result of the DMA implementation work. The Commission welcomes the updates that Apple introduced.

Developers can now test interoperability with two new features that are the subject of last March’s specification decision on interoperability of connected devices with iOS (such as smartwatches, headphones or TVs).The features released by Apple in the beta version of iOS 26.3 are expected to be fully available in Europe in the course of 2026.

The DMA creates new opportunities for developers to bring to market innovative products and services in Europe.

This is another step towards a more inter-connected digital ecosystem to the benefit of all EU citizens.

Wallpapers

Finally, Apple has made some small changes to the wallpapers menu on iPhone with iOS 26.3. Previously, there was one single category for Weather and Astronomy wallpapers. In iOS 26.3, that category is split into two individual sections.

The actual wallpapers here are the same. The difference is that Apple has added a few new pre-built wallpapers in the Weather category. As always, the Weather wallpapers display “live weather conditions for your current location.” The Astronomy wallpapers show you the current astronomical positioning of the earth or the Solar System.

iOS 26.3 release date

iOS 26.3 will likely be released in late January. For context, iOS 18.3 was released on January 27, while iOS 17.3 was released on January 22.

iOS 26.3 wrap up

As you can see, iOS 26.3 is a smaller update than iOS 26.2. Still, we’re early in the beta testing process and there’s plenty of time for that to change.

Have you noticed anything new in iOS 26.3? If so, let us know down in the comments. We’ll keep this guide updated throughout the beta period.