iPhones may soon support third-party smartwatches with new Notification Forwarding feature.

Apple released the iOS 26.1 beta 1 code on Monday.

Apple's iOS 26.1 beta 1, released Monday, hints at third-party smartwatch compatibility via Notification Forwarding, expected in October.

Sam Gupta2 hours agoLast Update : 2 hours ago

iPhones could soon offer support for non-Apple smartwatches

mashable.com

Apple may soon support third-party smartwatches with iPhones, as indicated by code found in the iOS 26.1 beta 1 released on Monday. This feature, called Notification Forwarding, could enhance compatibility with devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers.

4 Key Takeaways

Dozens of smartwatches exist, including Google Pixel Watch.
Apple released the iOS 26.1 beta 1 code on Monday.
Macworld spotted code for Notification Forwarding feature.
iOS 26.1 update is expected to be released in October.

Fast Answer: iPhones may soon support third-party smartwatches.

According to Macworld, Notification Forwarding would allow users to decide which devices display notifications from their iPhone. Additionally, there is code that may simplify the pairing process for third-party devices.

Beyond smartwatch compatibility, 9to5Mac noted updates in iOS 26.1 beta, including support for five new languages with AirPods Live Translation and eight new languages for Apple Intelligence features. Other updates include a new swiping feature on Apple Music and MiniPlayer, new views for Apple Calendar, and a new playback scrubber for the Photos app.

Note: There is no guarantee that these features will be included in the final iOS 26.1 update, expected in October.

Originally reported by mashable.com as “iPhones could soon offer support for non-Apple smartwatches” on 2025-09-25 10:47:00.