Finally! iOS 26.1 beta points to third-party smartwatch support for iPhones

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A close-up of five smartwatch on a wooded surface including the Apple Watch SE, Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, Google Pixel Watch 3 XL, Apple Watch 10 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide)

A new report suggests Apple could be working on a means to expand the functionality of third-party smartwatches on iPhones.

The report in question comes from Macworld, which noticed an interesting line of code in the recently released iOS 26.1 beta 1. Apparently, the code mentions a new feature called Notification Forwarding. While there isn't much information on what this new feature offers, the name indicates it will allow third-party accessories to display notifications from your iPhone.

What does the coding indicate?

watchOS The coolest things the Apple Watch can do

(Image credit: Apple)

The code lines don't really tell us much just yet, with a lot of it appearing incomplete. However, one of the strings found in the code indicates that notifications can only be forwarded to one accessory at a time. As such, it appears that enabling this option in the settings will disable notifications from appearing on your Apple Watch as well.

Macword also found mention of new frameworks in the iOS 26.1 beta 1. These include one called “AccessoryExtension.” While there aren't many details on what the function is, it looks to be aimed at making it easier to pair third-party devices with the iPhone.

With that being said, just because you would be able to use third-party options, that doesn't mean you would be able to access every feature that comes with an Apple Watch.

What Apple watches do that others can't

Apple Watch Ultra 3

(Image credit: Future)

There is a lot to love about the best Apple Watches, especially with the latest generation. During its recent "Awe Dropping" event, Apple unveiled the new Apple Ultra Watch 3, which offers a wealth of improvements and upgrades for Apple fans. While many of these features will have a parallel on third-party devices, it's unlikely they'll work as well on the best iPhones.

For instance, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is designed to work in tandem with Apple Fitness Plus classes, as well as various workout-related features. Not only that, the watch can monitor your heart rate while also offering hypertension alerts. On top of that, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 also offers a 42 Hour battery life and satellite SOS messaging.

For the time being, we will have to wait and see if the update appears when we get the public release of iOS 26.1, which is expected for October. However, considering the current reported state of the code, it doesn't seem likely.

Let us know what you think about this change, and if you would like to see the option to have more connectivity with third-party smartwatches, or if you are instead happy to primarily use Apple Watches.

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Josh Render
Josh Render
Staff Writer

Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer. 

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