iOS 26.1 Beta Signals Major iPhone Support for Third-Party Smartwatches
iOS 26.1 Beta Signals Major iPhone Support for Third-Party Smartwatches
Apple’s latest iOS 26.1 beta 1 code, released this week, is sparking significant excitement among iPhone users who prefer non-Apple smartwatches. Code discovered within the beta suggests that upcoming iPhones could offer vastly improved compatibility with a range of third-party wearables, including Google Pixel Watch, Fitbit, Garmin, and more.
The key finding points to an unreleased feature dubbed ‘Notification Forwarding,’ which would empower users to precisely control which devices display notifications from their iPhone. This, alongside other code indicating easier pairing for third-party accessories, could resolve a long-standing frustration for many iPhone owners seeking broader smartwatch choices.
Beyond enhanced smartwatch integration, the iOS 26.1 beta also reveals several other potential updates. These include expanded language support for AirPods Live Translation and Apple Intelligence features, a new swiping mechanism in Apple Music and MiniPlayer, refreshed Apple Calendar views, and an updated playback scrubber for the Photos app.
While these revelations from the beta are promising, it’s crucial to remember that features found in beta versions are not guaranteed to make it into the final public release of iOS 26.1, which is anticipated in October.
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