Apple changes course on something it never wanted to change

Now, you are probably thinking, “Hold on, I already get iPhone notifications on my non-Apple watch, so what’s new here?” We don’t have the full picture yet, but this looks like it could go beyond simple alerts and enable deeper interaction. Right now, on something like a Garmin watch, all you can really do is clear a notification – replying to a message or taking action isn’t an option. This change could finally open the door to that.

This change comes as a direct response to EU regulations (more specifically, the Digital Markets Act, which we’ve talked about many times before), and for now, it’s fairly basic. Notifications can only be forwarded to one device at a time, and users get to decide which apps are allowed to send alerts instead of opening the floodgates to everything. The forwarded notifications include the app name and the full message content, which makes them actually useful rather than just a vague alert.

Because this feature exists thanks to EU pressure, it currently looks like it will be limited to Europe. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually see it expand to the US too. Regulators there are also pushing Apple to open up its ecosystem, even if not quite as aggressively.

A small step, but a meaningful one

Apple is known for keeping iOS tightly locked down, and when it comes to third-party wearables, the iPhone has been one of the most restrictive platforms out there. If this change sticks, it would mark a rare moment where Apple is willing to compromise – even if only slightly.

We shouldn’t expect miracles just yet. This doesn’t suddenly turn every smartwatch into an Apple Watch replacement. Still, for users in the EU, this could be a big deal. Being able to wear the smartwatch you actually like and still get notifications on your iPhone is already a huge quality-of-life improvement.

My take

I’m fully on board with this change, especially as someone using an iPhone in the EU. To be honest, the Apple Watch design just doesn’t do it for me, and that’s been the main reason I’ve avoided buying a smartwatch altogether. If I can put something like a Garmin on my wrist and still have decent iPhone integration, that’s a clear win – even if the experience isn’t as perfect as it would be with an Apple Watch Series 11, for example.

And since this feature was spotted in an iOS beta, it’s worth mentioning that it is not the only thing hiding in Apple’s recent updates. iOS 26.2 brings useful improvements to apps like Reminders, while other clues inside iOS 26 builds hint at Apple’s growing interest in the smart home and major Siri upgrades coming in future releases, all the way up to iOS 28.

If this is Apple slowly learning to play nicer with others, I’m more than okay with that.