iOS 26.5 opens iPhone to Garmin and Sony — but only if you live in the EU
Apple's new iOS 26.5 update lets third-party smartwatches and earbuds integrate with iPhone at a level previously reserved for Apple Watch and AirPods — but only for users in the European Union. The change is driven by the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which compels Apple to open its platform to rival hardware makers. If you're in the US or UK, none of this applies to you.
What's actually changing
Until now, a Garmin, Amazfit, or Huawei watch paired to an iPhone could only show stripped-down notifications. With iOS 26.5, EU users get full notification content — including images — plus the ability to reply to messages directly from the watch face. Third-party wearables also gain access to Live Activities: the real-time dynamic widgets that display things like sports scores, delivery countdowns, and ride-hailing ETAs. Those features have been Apple Watch exclusives since launch.
Earbuds get a meaningful upgrade too. Third-party headphones from Sony, Bose, and others can now trigger a one-tap pairing popup when brought near an unlocked iPhone — the same "magic" connection that AirPods have always offered. Previously, pairing any non-Apple audio gear meant digging through Settings > Bluetooth. The new Accessory Notifications framework and proximity pairing APIs are what make both changes possible, per Daring Fireball.
A Europe-only deal
Apple has been explicit about why these features aren't going global. In an official statement, the company argues the DMA's interoperability requirements introduce privacy and security risks. EU regulators have rejected that framing, treating it as a gatekeeper protecting its own revenue rather than its users.
The practical result is a two-tier iPhone: one in Europe where a Garmin watch works nearly as well as an Apple Watch, and one everywhere else where it doesn't. US and UK consumers have no equivalent enforcement mechanism, and no timeline from Apple for voluntary parity.
Why it matters beyond Europe
The precedent is the real story. EU regulators have now demonstrated that Apple's ecosystem integration — long considered untouchable — can be legally mandated open. If Garmin and Sony can get API access in Europe, Samsung and Google have a template to push for equivalent terms in other jurisdictions. The wearables market, worth billions globally, has been shaped for years by Apple's deliberate incompatibility. That calculus is starting to shift, at least on one continent.
For now, choosing an iPhone accessory outside the EU still means playing by Apple's rules: buy the watch Apple approves of, or accept a diminished experience.