iOS 26.3: US users to miss out on ubiquitous AirPods-style fast pairing

The iOS 26.3 update could bring AirPods-style fast pairing to third-party earbuds, like the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Seamless pairing and file sharing between iOS devices is a major benefit of investing in the Apple ecosystem. Now, that same convenience is coming to third-party earbuds — but only if you live in the European Union. This is thanks to the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and features as its own products.

iOS 26.3 will introduce interoperability changes, allowing EU wearable device makers to test proximity pairing and improved notifications. The former will let devices like earbuds pair with iPhones and iPads in a similar way to AirPods. That means you’ll only need to bring your third-party accessory close to an iOS device to initiate a simple, one-tap pairing process. Third-party accessories, such as smart watches, will also be able to receive notifications from iPhones. This will let you view and react to them in real-time, which is normally limited to the Apple Watch. However, doing so will disable notifications to an Apple Watch, and only one device can receive them at a time.

Apple’s pairing process is seamless and intuitive.

The European Commission says that the functionality will be “fully available in Europe” in 2026. It goes on to say that iOS 26.3 offers “another step towards a more interconnected digital ecosystem to the benefit of all EU citizens.” The changes to proximity pairing and notifications are only available to device makers and ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users in the European Union. However, as it did with USB-C charging, Apple could roll this out worldwide at a later date.