- Apple could add support for third-party smartwatches with the iOS 26.1 beta update.
- The update includes a mention of the Notification Forwarding feature, which could allow sharing per-app notifications to non-Apple devices.
- There is no certainty whether this feature will arrive globally or remain limited to select regions like the EU.
Unless you own an Apple Watch, your iPhone won’t send you notifications to your wrist. That might change with iOS 26, as Apple could allow notification access to third-party watches, enabling your favorite smartwatch to work more seamlessly with your iPhone.
Apple Could Add Support for Third-Party Smartwatches
According to Macworld, which found that the code for the upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a mention of an unreleased feature called Notification Forwarding. The name itself suggests that the feature will allow users to share their iPhone notifications with other devices. But that’s not all.
One of the strings in code reads the following, “Choose which apps can send notifications to your accessory,” while another line reads, “Notifications can be forwarded to one accessory at a time. Notifications will not appear on Apple Watch while Notification Forwarding is turned on.” There are also references to the AccessoryExtension framework, allowing other devices to connect to your iPhone.
While the wording doesn’t explicitly confirm support for third-party smartwatches, the Notification Forwarding feature could likely help you receive alerts on your non-Apple watch. However, it is also worth noting that Apple may change things before the iOS 26.1 beta rolls out.
Moreover, it is likely that it could be made available in certain regions, like the EU, where the Digital Markets Act requires Apple to extend features exclusive to Apple Watch to other third-party smartwatches. By the way, Apple recently re-introduced blood oxygen monitoring to Apple Watches in many markets.
