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Apple Kicks Off 26.3 Developer Betas, Adding Transfer to Android and Notification Forwarding on iPhone

The holiday-timed release prioritizes stability as Apple pilots greater interoperability shaped by regulatory pressure.

Overview

  • Apple released developer beta 1 for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS on December 15, with iOS/iPadOS build 23D5089e.
  • iOS 26.3 introduces a built-in Transfer to Android tool that can move photos, messages, notes, apps, passwords, phone number and more, while excluding items like health data, paired Bluetooth devices, and locked notes.
  • A new Notification Forwarding setting lets iPhone users forward alerts to one third‑party wearable at a time, and Apple Watch notifications pause when this is enabled.
  • Several outlets link these interoperability features to EU antitrust scrutiny and note Apple’s collaboration with Google on cross‑platform data migration.
  • A public beta is expected shortly, and the 26.3 cycle is being treated as a smaller, stability‑focused update ahead of a likely late‑January or early‑February release.