The End of AirPods’ Monopoly: Apple to Unlock Proximity Pairing and Smartwatch Replies

To meet the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, Apple is expected to introduce two features in iOS 26.3 that will reshape the pairing experience for EU users: third-party Proximity Pairing and more comprehensive notification interaction. The changes are framed as a move to give third‑party developers a fairer competitive landscape, with the aim of bringing AirPods‑style pairing to non‑Apple headphones and allowing third‑party smartwatches to connect more deeply with iPhones.

Proximity Pairing would let supported third‑party accessories trigger a pairing card when brought near an iPhone or iPad, enabling a single‑tap connection and a simpler setup. By contrast, Apple has imposed a limitation on notifications, which can be forwarded to only one connected device at a time, meaning a third‑party watch would disable notifications on the Apple Watch when enabled.

Even so, there is no indication that third‑party devices will gain AirPods‑like automatic switching between Apple devices, a stance consistent with Apple’s DMA compliance approach. The features are expected to roll out across the EU in 2026, with uncertainty over expansion to other regions.