Katarzyna Petru
Apple introduces another restriction for users from the European Union. Along with the update iOS 26.2, the company will disable automatic Wi-Fi network synchronisation between the iPhone and the Apple Watch – a feature that has made life easier for owners of the Apple ecosystem for years.
End of Convenient Synchronisation
So far, when the iPhone connected to a new Wi-Fi network, it shared the login details with the paired Apple Watch. This allowed the watch to independently use the same connection, even when the phone was out of range.
With the arrival of iOS 26.2, this feature will be completely disabled in EU countries. Apple has confirmed the decision to the French website Numerama.
Official reason: EU law, not technical limitations
The change is to be the result of adapting to the regulations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) – legislation that requires Apple to provide greater interoperability of devices with products from other companies. According to the regulations, by the end of 2025, Apple should allow access to the hardware features of the iPhone, such as Wi-Fi modules, to accessories outside its own ecosystem.
Rather than opening this access, Apple has decided to remove the function entirely, thus avoiding changes to the architecture of the system.
What will the consequences be for users?
For most people, the change will not be drastic – the Apple Watch will still connect to the Wi-Fi network when the iPhone is nearby. However, when the phone is out of range, the user will have to manually enter the network password directly on the watch. Afterwards, the data will be saved locally, so the process will need to be repeated only once for a given network.
Apple versus Brussels
The giant from Cupertino has long been criticising the DMA regulations, warning that enforced interoperability could violate the privacy and security of users. According to the company, data-hungry entities, such as Meta, are demanding access to confidential information – including notification content and Wi-Fi connection history.
Apple has already lodged an appeal with the EU Court of Justice in Luxembourg, challenging the European Commission's decision from March, which requires the company to open the iOS ecosystem to competing devices, including smartwatches, headphones, and VR headsets.
New regulations, new restrictions
Although Apple explains the change as a concern for privacy, many users perceive it as yet another example of how the company circumvents EU regulations rather than adapting to them. As a result, it is consumers who lose out on the convenient solutions that previously worked flawlessly.
