Numerama reports that iOS 26.2 will eliminate the automatic syncing of Wi-Fi networks between iPhone and Apple Watch in the region. The report indicates that Apple is addressing the interoperability mandates set by the European Commission, which urges the American firm to keep its iPhone ecosystem and functionalities accessible to third-party developers.
In light of this, Apple has opted to remove the functionality that allows the Apple Watch to automatically connect to the same network as the iPhone in iOS 26.2. While this change is unlikely to impact the networks that the Apple Watch has already saved, users will need to log in independently on each device from now on. Although Apple has not specifically addressed this situation, the company has previously stated that it would not hesitate to eliminate features in Europe in order to safeguard its users’ data from “data hungry companies.”
