iOS 26.3 Developer Beta brings Android transfers, open notifications, and UI refinements

The first developer release of iOS 26.3 has been released, and although it is a fairly minor point release, it has been making the iPhone one step more toward a more open and interoperable future. Instead of flashy features, it will be less focused on and more about useful features, such as making it easier to transfer between iPhones and Android devices, give notifications a way to forward to third-party wearables, and small improvements to the UI, such as updated weather wallpapers. The iOS 26.3 update is a minor but strategic release, focusing on interoperability, notification flexibility, and subtle UI refinements rather than headline-grabbing features.

iOS 26.3 focuses on interoperability

The new Transfer to Android aspect within the settings (Transfers or Reset iPhone), which is a new feature in iOS 26.3, is a replacement of the previous option called Transfer Your Data. With iOS transfer to Android now built directly into settings, Apple is simplifying iPhone to Android data transfer without relying on third-party apps. Rather than use external applications, people will now be able to hold a phone that is an Android next to the iPhone, connect to the same Wi-Fi network and transfer essential information such as photos, messages, contacts, notes, applications and more. Apple has also ensured that phone numbers are movable as part of the process, which can eliminate one of the largest points of friction of platform switching. This move signals a broader shift toward Apple Android interoperability, influenced by user demand and global regulatory pressure.

Guardrails are still in place, though: sensitive data such as Health data, Bluetooth pairings and locked notes are currently out of scope, and both Apple and Google promise to add more data support when the beta cycle concludes. Despite these restrictions, the native Android transfer utility is one of many signs of a more open system of Apple and is in line with the increased user expectations - and regulatory demands -of increased cross-platform mobile freedom.

Notification Forwarding opens to third‑party wearables

The other significant addition in iOS 26.3 is Notification Forwarding of third-party smartwatches and wearables, which was before nearly an exclusivity of Apple Watch. The toggle, which is found under Settings - Notifications - Notification Forwarding, allows users to send iPhone notifications to Apple-compatible non-Apple devices, such as Android-based wearable devices. iOS notification forwarding in iOS 26.3 finally allows third-party smartwatch notifications, including Android-based wearables, under controlled conditions.

Apple, however, has placed tight limits to such features. Notifications may be pushed to just one accessory at a time and on Apple Watch in a scenario where Notification Forwarding is required of a third-party wearable, no longer showing up on the device, to prevent duplication. Its implementation is still only restricted to the European Union and adjacent areas, as the Digital Markets Act put forward by the EU has compelled Apple to open its notification system or be willing to facilitate additional cross-vendor interoperability. This iOS 26.3 EU update is largely driven by the Digital Markets Act, which requires Apple to open key system-level features to competitors.

Wallpaper changes hint at UI direction

Along with interoperability, the iOS 26.3 version also fine-tunes the aesthetic of the iPhone by executing minor, but significant, changes to wallpapers. Alongside functional changes, iOS 26.3 introduces new iOS weather wallpapers that hint at Apple’s future direction for live, context-aware iOS UI changes. The former Weather and Astronomy category of wallpaper gallery was also partitioned into two, with the Weather section getting three new dynamic options instead of one preset. Those Weather wallpaper options still display live information on what was happening in the current location of the user, yet each preset currently includes its own font options and widget designs, alleviating the burden of customisation and pushing users towards more context-sensitive, informative home screens. Minor in nature, these refinements are indicative of how Apple is moving further in the long run, towards more adaptive, more live UI reinforcements that combine appearance with glanceable data.

Release timeline and what to expect next

iOS 26.3 was the final release and dropped in mid-December 2025, only a few days after iOS 26.2 was available to the masses. While still in beta, Apple iOS beta India users can expect iOS 26.3 to roll out publicly by late January 2026, following Apple’s usual update cycle. According to the historical trend of Apple to release updates on all major releases with the number .3, e.g. iOS 18.3 on January 27, iOS 17.3 on January 22, there will be no public release of iOS 26.3 until late January 2026, which probably happens in the week after the Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

iOS 26.3 at this point appears more niche and focused in its update relative to iOS 26.2, focusing more on integrating the platform and ecosystem's flexibilities than new features to make headlines. Nevertheless, this beta is still in its early days and Apple tends to develop more refinements and compatibility fixes as the beta persists and particularly Android data transfer reliability, increased data types and wider support of notification forwarding across regions.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.