- iOS 26.3 adds AirPods-style features to other wireless headphones
- The software will be released in early 2026.
- It is the latest EU regulatory requirement, so it does not apply worldwide.
One of the benefits of using AirPods with iPhones (or really any Apple device) is that pairing is very quick and easy. That same convenience will soon be available for third-party headphones, but only if you live in the European Union.
Like USB-C charging ports and alternative app stores, this is driven by the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). Passed in November 2022, it essentially puts limits on how far big tech companies can go in terms of keeping their own ecosystems closed.
According to MacRumors, iOS 26.3 will open the door to headphone makers who want their own products to work as well with iPhones as AirPods. Those tests will take some time, but we may start to see this functionality rolling out over the course of 2026.
Right now, iOS 26.3 is only available in beta, but we’re already hearing a lot about the new features it will bring to millions of iPhones around the world. Some of the others include notification forwarding and a new batch of wallpapers.
‘More interconnected’
EU regulators are, of course, keen to talk about the user benefits of this: the change provides “another step towards a more interconnected digital ecosystem for the benefit of all EU citizens”, according to the European Commission.
There are two features in particular that will be open to third-party headsets. They include proximity pairing (bringing the headphones closer will initiate pairing) and notifications (so the headphones and other devices receive alerts and can respond).
That second feature will also be a plus for the best smartwatches: the seamless notification syncing experience that is currently exclusive to the Apple Watch should also come to models from other wearable manufacturers. Again, if you are in the EU.
Apple hasn’t said anything specifically about these features, but has repeatedly criticized the DMA and the EU’s efforts to implement it. This has caused a variety of features, including Apple Intelligence and Live Translation for AirPods, to be delayed in European countries.
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