iPhones could soon offer more support for non-Apple smartwatches
There are dozens of smart watches out there — Google Pixel Watch, FitBit, Suunto, Garmin, Coros, and the list goes on. But if you have an iPhone, a lot of those watches aren't supported, which can be, well, annoying. There's a rumor that might change soon.
Apple released the iOS 26.1 beta 1 code on Monday, and Macworld spotted some code that would allow smartwatches and other third-party accessories to be more compatible with iPhones using an unreleased feature called Notification Forwarding. According to Macworld, this feature will give users the ability to decide which devices show notifications from their iPhone, like, say, another smartwatch or fitness tracker. There's also some code, according to Macworld, that would make it easier to pair third-party devices.
Beyond the potential smartwatch streamlining, 9to5Mac also spotted a few updates from iOS 26.1 beta, including five new languages supported with AirPods Live Translation, eight new languages supported with Apple Intelligence features, a new swiping feature on Apple Music and MiniPlayer, new views for Apple Calendar, a new playback scrubber for the Photos app, and more.
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Of course, there's no guarantee that these features will make it into the final iOS 26.1 update, which is expected to be released in October.
Topics Apple Apple Watch Fitness Trackers iOS iPhone
Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.
Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.
