iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

[uczcret]

The EU didn’t bring USB-C to iPhones. Apple was already planning to.

Apple had high-speed USB-C in the A17 Pro processor (iPhone 15 Pro) which came out a full year before the EU mandate on USB-C was to come into effect.

Given the long lead times to design a new processor the final decision to add USB-C to an iPhone would have been made almost a full 3 years before the EU mandate.

The EU just wants to take credit for something Apple decided years earlier.

Nice try but definitely not true. EU's USB-C regulation was voted and announced in 2022. Apple definitely wasn't planning to switch to USB-C for iPhones before they found out they were obligated to if they wanted to keep selling iPhones in the region.

Both EU announcement and article below from October 2022, a full year before the iPhone 15 was launched:

Long-awaited common charger for mobile devices will be a reality in 2024

Apple to put USB-C connectors in iPhones to comply with EU rules

 

[Hank001]

Notifications can only be forwarded to one connected device at a time, and turning on (...)

This is untrue. Notifications come in on both my Wahoo bike gps thingy, ánd my Garmin fenix. Has done so for the last decade.

 

[SanderEvers]

Nice try but definitely not true. EU's USB-C regulation was voted and announced in 2022. Apple definitely wasn't planning to switch to USB-C for iPhones before they found out they were obligated to if they wanted to keep selling iPhones in the region.

Both EU announcement and article below from October 2022, a full year before the iPhone 15 was launched:

Long-awaited common charger for mobile devices will be a reality in 2024

Apple to put USB-C connectors in iPhones to comply with EU rules

Apple introduced USB-C to the iPad in 2018. They introduced USB-C with the first 12" MacBook. Yes, Apple has been moving to USB-C on EVERY DEVICE since day one.

Only reason it took them until 2023 (iPhone 15 ) - 1 whole year before the EU law went into effect - was because they actually wanted to go entirely wireless with AirPower. Which would have complied with the EU law as well. When they canceled AirPower they started retooling everything to USB-C.

If it was because of the EU, the iPhone 16 would've been the first to get USB-C. Which was not the case.

 

[foobarbaz]

I’m anxiously awaiting the day when EU automakers (esp in Germany) are forced to make the infotainment systems in their vehicles open to third party stores.

I know this is meant out of spite, but I'd love that, too.
The reality is, though, the market for car apps is tiny. How many apps does a regular person buy? Would any company bother to compete here? I believe people should always be allowed to run their own code, but it's not a meaningful market.

The average price of a new car in the EU is €33,000. But do go on about how opening up smartphones is so important to consumers when people spend 30x as much on a car that’s locked down tight and will require a guaranteed expensive dealer visit to fix. 🙄

Yes, that's why the right to repair is also super important.

But the DMA is about competition. A large part of the economy now depends on and runs through smartphones. People easily spend more money using their smartphones than for their cars. There's also a whole lot of choices in the car market, but a duopoly in smartphones.

Apple and Google deserve a fair share of all that business they enable. But they also deserve competition. This is the perfect example: The day AirPods were released with proprietary tech, Apple stopped any improvement for generic headphones, even though many were possible (as 26.3 proves). I love my AirPods, but I also bought them, because they decided (!) to keep Bluetooth pairing bad. That's why market domination is bad. They get to just decide to take over another market, because they can leverage their power instead of winning by outcompeting.

 

[Nozuka]

I'm tired of them restricting these useful features to the EU. They already did all the work, they may as well open it up to everyone.

But doesn't matter anymore. I finally switched away from the iPhone.

 

[Jeeve Stubbs]

“Every truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self‑evident.”

 

[AppliedMicro]

Apple had high-speed USB-C in the A17 Pro processor (iPhone 15 Pro) which came out a full year before the EU mandate on USB-C was to come into effect.

Given the long lead times to design a new processor the final decision to add USB-C to an iPhone would have been made almost a full 3 years before the EU mandate.

Laws enacted by the EU have their lead time, too.
And you can be sure Apple had been following them.

Apple introduced USB-C to the iPad in 2018. They introduced USB-C with the first 12" MacBook.

They introduced it as a means of connecting peripherals to these products that sold in relatively low numbers.

Yes, Apple has been moving to USB-C on EVERY DEVICE since day one.

AirPods, AirPods Pro and non-pro iPads have been evidence to the contrary. I said it to you before.
It does not take 6 and a half years for USB-C to “trickle down” from iPad Pro to the others, if you’re committed to support it “on every device”. Having to pull products from stores doesn’t indicate that either.

You don’t release brand-new AirPods Max in 2020, if you’re committed to supporting USB-C on every device “since day one”. Nor third generation Airpods a year later. Or a Magsafe charging case with Lightning in 2022. Or Lightning Magic Keyboards in 2021. When you supported USB-C on your computers since 2015.

If it was because of the EU, the iPhone 16 would've been the first to get USB-C

You missed the point where Apple sells their products for more than a year, keeping previous-generation iiPhones un their lineup.

They are still selling the iPhone 15 as new products today. Which is why they had to adopt USB-C for it.
They had to discontinue sales of iPhone 14 in Europe only, because they didn’t conform.

👉 Apple milked Lightning as a proprietary, royalty-earning charging connector on small, low-power devices until the very end.

The only devices they introduced USB-C before they legally had to were the ones that users routinely connect wired peripherals to (Macs). Or where Apple expected/hoped they’d do it: higher-end iPads having positioned them as notebook replacements (albeit somewhat unsuccessfully, given iPadOS’ limitations). And they didn’t even provide USB-C on the peripherals they sold themselves.

 

[Xiao_Xi]

The EU didn’t bring USB-C to iPhones. Apple was already planning to.

Any proof of that?

The road to the iPhone's USB-C port has been long, some in Brussels admit.

Alex Agius Saliba, a Maltese social democrat who led the work on the common charger file, recalls how Apple executives were "nearly laughing at us" when lawmakers brought up the issue during a visit to the iPhone manufacturer about three years ago.

"They were totally brushing us off when it comes to the common charger, not even replying to us," he told POLITICO in an interview ahead of the iPhone launch.

With Apple’s iPhone 15, the EU wins the charger war

The new iPhone will reportedly feature a charging port soon to be required in the bloc.

www.politico.eu

In 2021, Apple didn't seem to like the idea very much.

European Commission - Have your say

European Commission - Have your say

ec.europa.eu

 

[svish]

The new notifications change will be very beneficial for those with other smart watches. Simpler pairing is also a nice change. Don’t think these will be available outside EU anytime soon.

 

[uczcret]

Only reason it took them until 2023 (iPhone 15 ) - 1 whole year before the EU law went into effect - was because they actually wanted to go entirely wireless with AirPower. Which would have complied with the EU law as well. When they canceled AirPower they started retooling everything to USB-C.

It took them 4-5 years of "retooling" from cancelling AirPower to moving the iPhone to USB-C? 😂 Switching ports is really not the kind of engineering feat some of you think it is.

 

[Nozuka]

It took them 4-5 years of "retooling" from cancelling AirPower to moving the iPhone to USB-C? 😂 Switching ports is really not the kind of engineering feat some of you think it is.

Especially when they already used USB-C on the iPad Pro...

 

[AppliedMicro]

Switching ports is really not the kind of engineering feat some of you think it is.

Especially when you limit devices to USB 2 data transfer rates.

 

[ForkHandles]

I’m anxiously awaiting the day when EU automakers (esp in Germany) are forced to make the infotainment systems in their vehicles open to third party stores.

I want to install my own Apps instead of being forced to use what the manufacturer says I can use.

When my car gets older I want ”right to repair” so I can replace the super-expensive infotainment computer in my car with something compatible instead of being forced to pay €2,500-€5,000 to the dealer.

The average price of a new car in the EU is €33,000. But do go on about how opening up smartphones is so important to consumers when people spend 30x as much on a car that’s locked down tight and will require a guaranteed expensive dealer visit to fix. 🙄

There are two manufacturers of iPhone operating systems. It’s a duopoly.

There are tens of car manufacturers. The market is healthy and unlikely to suffer from monopolistic control.

The only likelihood of your requirement being implemented is if all manufacturers start to source only one operating system. I.e. Polestar use Android.

Then you would have monopolistic control.

 

[Parowdy]

Good riddance.
Apple Watch next please?
And after that Android Watches working with iPhones like with Androids?

 

[henkie]

and rush to claim credit for every small win under the DMA,

I think the EU is learning to highlight these (little) wins, since many citizens do not understand or know what EU regulations actually do in tech for the regular Joe. For example, we can thank the EU for abolishing the insane roaming costs. And USB-C: https://www.macrumors.com/2022/10/26/craig-joz-wsj-event/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

[henkie]

The EU didn’t bring USB-C to iPhones. Apple was already planning to.

Apple had high-speed USB-C in the A17 Pro processor (iPhone 15 Pro) which came out a full year before the EU mandate on USB-C was to come into effect.

Given the long lead times to design a new processor the final decision to add USB-C to an iPhone would have been made almost a full 3 years before the EU mandate.

The EU just wants to take credit for something Apple decided years earlier.

Except that Apple executives already said they "needed to comply with regulations": https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ator-app-pace-of-innovation-and-more.2367487/ so yes, Apple was planning to do this because of the EU.

 

[yabeweb]

I'm all in on Apple and USB-C at the same time, it's perfectly doable. Along with my work laptop and even my vape. I love it, and that's solely thanks to the EU.

If Apple had their way, the iPhone would still be using lightning.

Or another new proprietary connector with would have been sold as the best connector ever just to get people to buy new accessories.

 

[Sami13496]

So Apple comes up with an innovative idea and solution that is part of its products and its business, and then some political authority forces them to make that feature work with competitors’ devices as well, essentially requiring them to weaken their own competitiveness. It’s a bit like if I were an ice cream vendor selling really great ice cream, then developed an amazing sauce specifically for my ice cream, and the EU said that I must also give my sauce to other ice cream vendors so they can put it on top of their own ice cream. The whole setup sounds rather strange.

 

[ItsASpider]

The EU didn’t bring USB-C to iPhones. Apple was already planning to.

Apple had high-speed USB-C in the A17 Pro processor (iPhone 15 Pro) which came out a full year before the EU mandate on USB-C was to come into effect.

Given the long lead times to design a new processor the final decision to add USB-C to an iPhone would have been made almost a full 3 years before the EU mandate.

The EU just wants to take credit for something Apple decided years earlier.

What is this for revisionist nonsense? First of all, a chip doesn't support "USB-C", that's just a connector. As for why it supported the USB protocol; you do understand that Lightning also used the USB protocol, right? Also; "High-speed USB" is USB 2.0, a technology from 2000.

And if for some reason you're still in denial about all of that, lets just pretend that the A17 supported "USB-C", are we just going to ignore that these chips were also being used in iPads and other devices, you know, devices that shipped with USB-C for years already?

Apple moved the iPhone to a USB-C connector because of the EU. I'm not sure who you think you're fooling here. Apple fought tooth and nail to not have to do it, and while that mandate came into effect only at the end of 2024, the directive was implemented into law in 2022, and in discussion way before then. The writing was on the wall over a decade before the law came into effect. Heck, if it wasn't for Apple's refusal to work with the rest of the market, odds are that law would never have existed in the first place and the EU would just have continued with its push to the various relevant markets to voluntarily move to USB-C that began in 2014 (and MicroUSB prior to that) in the first place.

Apple introduced USB-C to the iPad in 2018. They introduced USB-C with the first 12" MacBook. Yes, Apple has been moving to USB-C on EVERY DEVICE since day one.

Only reason it took them until 2023 (iPhone 15 ) - 1 whole year before the EU law went into effect - was because they actually wanted to go entirely wireless with AirPower. Which would have complied with the EU law as well. When they canceled AirPower they started retooling everything to USB-C.

If it was because of the EU, the iPhone 16 would've been the first to get USB-C. Which was not the case.

Again, nonsense. Are we really going to pretend that it took Apple over 4 years to "retool" (retool what exactly?) to use USB-C? The iPhone 15 was the first with USB-C because otherwise Apple would spend the next year only being able to sell the iPhone 16, which would have cost them market share in the EU. Again, are we really going to pretend Apple's complaining against the EU to not have to adopt USB-C didn't happen? Apple has been pretty explicit about why they moved the iPhone to USB-C: because they had to.

 

[rmariboe]

I truly don't understand those that are against the DMA, and all I can imagine is its because they see their devices as “pure” or some crap and don't want others to have a choice.

Even if it's from a security perspective, great. Don't use other headphones or smart watches, but to me, even if I may only use an Apple Watch or AirPods, is such a nice step in the right direction, because it's going to be great for those that do need it (see what I did there? It's almost like something can benefit others that doesn't benefit me! Wild!). In addition, it puts other accessories on equal footing and will make Apple work harder from competition (where I CAN benefit)

Wish all this would hit the US too, bug sigh…

Letting third party devices connect by proximity increases the risks to every iPhone user since now any device can initiate a connection just by being close to your iPhone. I’m not saying it’s an unacceptable risk - only that “just don’t use third party” is not a mitigating factor

 

[hagar]

I don’t think people understand that the DMA isn’t a consumer rights law it’s for the benefit of big and little tech companies. In any case once again Apple’s American customers get the shaft while effectively subsiding Apple with tax breaks. The Settings app continues to fly under the radar as far as Apple shenanigans go.

It’s not for the benefit of big and little tech companies. It’s a market-structure law to rebalance the power between gatekeepers and other companies.

 

[hagar]

It’s weird people here discuss the benefits or disadvantages of the DMA for corporations. But not the benefit it brings for consumers. Is there any US consumer who does not want this feature? Offcourse they do.

 

[HMFIC03]

I truly don't understand those that are against the DMA, and all I can imagine is its because they see their devices as “pure” or some crap and don't want others to have a choice.

Even if it's from a security perspective, great. Don't use other headphones or smart watches, but to me, even if I may only use an Apple Watch or AirPods, is such a nice step in the right direction, because it's going to be great for those that do need it (see what I did there? It's almost like something can benefit others that doesn't benefit me! Wild!). In addition, it puts other accessories on equal footing and will make Apple work harder from competition (where I CAN benefit)

Wish all this would hit the US too, bug sigh…

It also has something to do with the R&D apple has done for its wearables to have that extra magic in the experience. Others getting carte Blanche to grift off apple doesn’t set well with AAPL. It’s one of the few things Chinese knockoffs can’t steal.

 

[camilleterol]

Apple has been working on AirPods like pairing (with AccessorySetupKit) for more than two years now. Maybe the EU had an influence on them starting the feature, but it is not region locked. https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2024/10203

I see Apple avoiding interoperability for two reasons:
- keeping their walled garden
- the sheer amount of work necessary to document and secure protocols
I’d say for now we are at 75/25. But it’s nice to see Apple opening up and working with their competitor to simplify many of these things. I just don’t see with a good eye the EU forcing companies to do things, and then taking all the credit.

 

[SanderEvers]

It took them 4-5 years of "retooling" from cancelling AirPower to moving the iPhone to USB-C? 😂 Switching ports is really not the kind of engineering feat some of you think it is.

Apple still had a lot support for third party accessories. (Lightning MFI) They couldn't just replace the port. That takes time and planning. And then yes, 4-5 years is actually quite a normal timeline.