Apple Prepares Broader Third-Party Smartwatch Support Amidst Antitrust Scrutiny

Apple is reportedly developing new functionalities to enhance the compatibility of third-party smartwatches with iPhones. Code within a future iOS version, possibly iOS 19.1 or a similar upcoming release, hints at a ‘Notification Forwarding’ feature designed to expand the capabilities of non-Apple Watch accessories.

References in the code, such as ‘Choose Which apps can send notifications to your accessory’ and ‘Notifications can be forwarded to one accessory at a time,’ suggest a significant shift. This development includes an ‘AccessoryExtension’ framework for seamless third-party device pairing with an iPhone.

While the exact scope remains unconfirmed, this move aligns with growing regulatory pressures. The European Union’s Digital Markets Act mandates Apple to grant third-party smartwatches access to notifications and features typically reserved for the Apple Watch. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple specifically criticizes the company’s limited support for competing smartwatches, alleging restrictions on cellular connectivity and notification interaction.

Apple has consistently addressed claims from the DoJ lawsuit, recently implementing RCS support in iOS 18 and opening NFC access in iOS 18.1. Should this enhanced notification forwarding prove applicable to third-party smartwatches, it could be a global change or an EU-specific measure to comply with DMA requirements, signaling a more open ecosystem for iPhone users.

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