Apple's product ecosystem is often praised for its many features that work across different devices, but those features don't work with devices from other brands. Hence, the term “walled garden” is associated with Apple's devices.
For example, iPhones can only share notifications with Apple Watches, and AirDrop only works with iPads, iPhones, and Macs. However, that could change in the near future. The European Union (EU) has asked Apple to open those features to third parties.
So, in the future, Apple's features like AirPlay, AirDrop, NFC, and notification access could work with Samsung's Galaxy devices.
Apple's AirDrop, AirPlay, and other features could work with Samsung devices
The EU has reportedly sent comprehensive guidelines to Apple to improve interoperability of its devices with devices, products, and services from other brands. These guidelines were reportedly related to notifications access, AirDrop, and AirPlay.
Under the Digital Markets Act, the EU has asked Apple to ensure that iOS devices offer full access to the notifications system, background execution privileges, and system feature access to devices on other platforms. As of now, these services can be exclusively accessed by Apple's devices, such as AirPods and Apple Watches.
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The EU has also ordered Apple to open NFC and Wi-Fi network information access to third-party apps and brands. Opening up this information will allow third parties to build better mobile payment apps. Deeper access to Wi-Fi peer-to-peer network information will allow things like AirDrop and AirPlay to work with non-Apple devices.
The EU wants Apple to work on solutions by the end of this year (in beta) and fully roll them out in 2026. It also asked Apple to make such features available to third parties simultaneously with its own devices. Apple can't delay the rollout of those features to third parties.
If Apple acts upon the EU's demands, Samsung's Galaxy phones and tablets may be able to send files to iPhones, iPads, and Macs via AirDrop (or a similar protocol). However, these features could be available only with iOS 19 and only for people in the European Union.
Apple argued that opening up these critical systems will slow down Apple's pace of innovation and hinder privacy and security. It also said it is being unfairly targeted by the EU's DMA while letting others “freely leech off of it.“
