Apple is building a new application programming interface that will allow third-party accessories, including Meta's Quest headsets and Ray-Ban Meta glasses, to automatically pair across all of a user's Apple devices, just as AirPods and Apple Watch do today. The information comes from Apple's EU Interoperability Request page, detailing a project designed to close the experience gap between Apple and non-Apple devices.
Response to Meta's Request Under the Digital Markets Act
The plan directly responds to a request Meta filed in October 2025 under the European Union's Digital Markets Act. Meta asked Apple to let a Meta device, once paired with one iPhone or iPad, automatically become available on a user's other Apple devices without extra prompts. Third-party accessories have never had this ability, meaning owning non-Apple hardware alongside an iPhone has always involved more friction. If Apple completes development, that gap will close, at least for manufacturers who gain access to the new API.
Sponsored Protocol
According to Apple's communication to Meta on February 4, the company intends to allow third-party apps to access cryptographic materials that make a pairing completed on one Apple device usable on another, secured by a session key and a one-time per-accessory user consent. Apple expects to finish development by spring 2027 and ship it 'shortly thereafter', pointing toward an iOS 27.x update, likely iOS 27.4, though Apple has not confirmed a specific version.
Sponsored Protocol
Technology Relies on AccessorySetupKit and Proximity Pairing, EU Only for Now
The feature runs on AccessorySetupKit and Proximity Pairing, infrastructure Apple built to comply with a March 2025 European Commission ruling and currently works only in the European Union. It is the same infrastructure behind the proximity pairing feature already live for EU users. Meta has objected that adopting it would force the company to abandon Core Bluetooth, which it relies on for pairing outside Europe, and has asked Apple to decouple the two. Apple has declined so far, though it told Meta that support outside the EU 'is something we are still considering.'
As of Apple's latest update, the request remains in phase three. Meta has not yet invoked the DMA's formal dispute resolution process, which would trigger a review by Apple's Interoperability Request Review Board within 30 working days. Until then, Apple's plan proceeds with a spring 2027 rollout tied to AccessorySetupKit, limited to the EU.
Sponsored Protocol
This move fits into a broader trend of forced interoperability by European regulations, similar to the EU's proposed social media ban for under 13. Meanwhile, tools like NotebookLM for document analysis with AI show how companies are streamlining user experience through technology integration. For more on Android Auto's new media player, check out the related article.
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/13/apple-plans-airpods-like-pairing-for-meta
