Amazfit Watch Update Shows Benefits of Forcing Apple To Open Up

A new Amazfit watch update will let iPhone owners reply to messages and see images directly on their wrist — a clear sign that regulatory pressure on Apple is reshaping the wearable landscape. Amazfit, the popular smartwatch brand owned by Zepp Health, announced it will soon roll out richer notification features for iPhone users, ending years of limited interaction that stemmed from Apple's tight control over its notification ecosystem. The update, expected to land in the coming weeks, allows wearers to respond to iMessages and SMS, view photo previews and GIFs, and interact with certain third-party apps — all without pulling out their phone.

For years, Apple restricted third-party smartwatches from accessing many iPhone notification capabilities. Users could see a message alert but could not reply or view embedded images. That changed after the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) forced Apple to open its operating system to competitors. The Amazfit update is one of the first concrete consumer benefits of that regulation.

Amazfit has been a strong player in the budget-to-midrange smartwatch market, offering long battery life and comprehensive health tracking. However, its iPhone app experience lagged behind competitors like Garmin and Fitbit because of Apple’s limitations. This update levels the playing field and could drive a wave of upgrades among iPhone users who wanted more from their Amazfit watch.

Zepp Health confirmed that the feature will work with iPhone models running iOS 18 or later. Users will need the latest Zepp app installed on their phone to enable the expanded notifications. The company has not detailed which specific Amazfit models will receive the update, but recent flagship devices like the Amazfit T-Rex Ultra and Amazfit Balance are likely candidates.

Industry analysts see this as a turning point for the wearable market. “Apple has long used notification restrictions as a moat for its own Watch,” said a tech policy researcher. “Now that the DMA has cracked that door, we’ll see a wave of innovation from third-party watch makers who finally have access to the full iPhone notification stack.” The move could also spur Apple to make its own Watch notifications more competitive, benefiting all consumers.

Looking ahead, the Amazfit update is just the beginning. Other brands like Garmin, Huawei, and Google’s Fitbit are expected to follow with similar upgrades. Meanwhile, regulators in the US and other regions are watching the DMA’s impact closely, and similar interoperability mandates could be on the horizon. For Amazfit users, the immediate win is a smarter, more connected wrist companion — made possible by forcing one of the world's most powerful technology companies to open up.