Numerama reports that iOS 26.2 will eliminate a crucial Apple Watch feature in Europe — the capability to automatically synchronize Wi-Fi networks between an iPhone and an Apple Watch. This modification arises from Apple’s ongoing conflict with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act legislation, which mandates Apple to incorporate various features to align with EU requirements — including one related to interoperability. Beginning with iOS 26.2, if an iPhone must share its Wi-Fi history with an Apple Watch, the company is compelled to permit third-party developers access to the same functionalities.
Nonetheless, the company’s integrated system is fully encrypted, signifying that the Wi-Fi data shared remains private. Under the revised legislation, this data would no longer be encrypted, prompting the company to completely eliminate the feature to prevent third-party developers from acquiring users’ Wi-Fi locations and constructing new profiles to target them with additional advertisements. That said, here’s how syncing Wi-Fi between the iPhone and the iPad will function starting with watchOS 26.2 and iOS 26.2 in Europe.
