GoKawiilApple has updated its Developer Program License Agreement with new rules on how third-party accessories must handle forwarded notifications and Live Activities. Here are the details.
A bit of context
Earlier today, we reported on new code introduced on iOS 26.5 beta 1 that pointed to upcoming Live Activities support for third-party accessories in the EU.
In conjunction with the notification forwarding feature, which will allow third-party accessories to display iPhone notifications, this will be exclusive to EU users as part of the interoperability requirements of the Digital Markets Act.
Last year, published a statement on its Newsroom, arguing that the DMA would not only cause delays for rollouts of new features in Europe, but also introduce “new privacy and security threats.” Here’s Apple:
“The DMA also lets other companies request access to user data and core technologies of Apple products. Apple is required to meet almost every request, even if they create serious risks for our users. So far, companies have submitted requests for some of the most sensitive data on a user’s iPhone. The most concerning include: The complete content of a user’s notifications: This data includes the content of a user’s messages, emails, medical alerts, and any other notifications a user receives. And it would reveal data to other companies that currently, even Apple can’t access.”
In other words, Apple argued that while it designed iOS so that it cannot access the contents of notifications, the same wouldn’t be true for third-party devices if it were required to open that data up to them.
As of today, that argument hasn’t prevailed, and Apple is working to open up this access as required by the DMA.
Apple announces strict rules for notification and Live Activities forwarding
Earlier tonight, Apple updated its Developer Program License Agreement with, among other things, a new section: 3.3.3 (J), Accessory Notifications Framework and Accessory Live Activities Framework.
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