Do not consider the hype – this Android cellphone will not assist Apple merchandise for lengthy

Regardless of being in tech information, I do not observe China’s home smartphone market too intently. Lots of the telephones launched there’ll by no means attain the US or Canada, except maybe they’re imported by diehards, in order that they’re largely irrelevant to my viewers. One thing that caught my eye, although, was information about Vivo’s subsequent book-style foldable, the X Fold 5. An organization product supervisor lately introduced that the cellphone will assist quite a lot of Apple applied sciences — together with the Apple Watch, which is often locked to iPhone possession, even when you purchase a mobile mannequin.

So what’s Vivo promising, and the way does this end-run round Apple’s walled backyard work? Particulars are mild in the meanwhile, however one factor’s for positive — do not anticipate Vivo to get away with this for lengthy except it is aware of one thing we do not about Apple’s plans.

How does the Vivo X Fold 5 work with Apple merchandise?

A pile of secrets and techniques

In accordance with the product supervisor, Han Boxiao, Apple Watch customers will have the ability to see calls and texts from a paired X Fold 5. Shared imagery suggests that folks will have the ability to reply calls from their Watch, but it surely’s much less clear if you’ll reply to texts. That is presumably the case — simply unconfirmed thus far.

Vivo can also be promising that well being metrics from a Watch will be synced with the corporate’s well being app. Usually, the wearable depends on Apple’s HealthKit framework for syncing with each first- and third-party apps, so there should be a software program workaround for extracting HealthKit information.

Past the Apple Watch, Vivo is integrating iCloud into the X Fold 5’s file administration system. It is even promising some Continuity-style options for Mac house owners, akin to distant management, and the flexibility to deal with their cellphone as an prolonged show. That second possibility is especially fascinating, since Apple’s native equal — Sidecar — solely enables you to use an iPad, not an iPhone.

Boxiao lastly mentions assist for AirPods. It is already potential to pair AirPods with Android telephones, however on this case Vivo is supposedly delivering “the unique smoothness of the Apple ecosystem,” relatively than simply fundamental voice and playback features. Native Apple gadgets take pleasure in features like automated supply switching tied to your Apple Account.

As you could have gathered, Vivo has but to clarify the way it’s pulling any of this off. That is what leads me to suppose these options will probably be short-lived, given Apple’s insurance policies and monitor document.

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Why the X Fold 5 will not be Apple-friendly for lengthy

The clock is ticking

For starters, the Apple Watch is supposed to be an iPhone halo system, and definitely operates that manner. Although folks have managed to pair Watches with Android telephones prior to now — one thing Vivo’s doubtless constructing off of — that course of has at all times been convoluted, restricted, and unsupported by Apple. Historically, you have wanted a cellular-equipped Watch, plus an iPhone for preliminary setup. Even as soon as a Watch is paired with an Android cellphone, many options could not work, amongst them SMS messaging and well being sync — two issues Vivo says it is bringing to the desk. I am not assured Vivo can ship on its guarantees, a lot much less in a manner that permits you to skip an iPhone completely.

It is not possible that Vivo has partnered with Apple. The X Fold 5 might launch as quickly as the top of June 2025, and but there was no point out of Android compatibility throughout Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote on June 9. The corporate does are inclined to downplay its assist of Android with some merchandise, akin to Beats headphones and Apple Music, but it surely would not fully conceal one thing this important, particularly if the goal was to promote extra Apple Watches.

If something, Apple will most likely do all it could actually to discourage Android customers from getting rival-supported Watch pairing, because the product retains folks locked into its ecosystem. The Apple Watch just isn’t solely tightly built-in with iPhone options in a manner different smartwatches aren’t allowed, however creates a sunk-cost dilemma — when you’ve simply purchased an $800 Apple Watch Extremely 2, you are most likely going to make your subsequent cellphone improve one other iPhone to keep away from the expense of changing two gadgets directly.

Apple may effectively attempt to sabotage something Vivo does that goes towards its norms. There’s sturdy precedent — the most effective lately being Beeper, which in 2023 managed to carry iMessage to Android telephones, just for Apple to intentionally break that performance on its finish. To today, Apple consists of many options in iMessage chats which can be meant to discourage you from switching to Android — and even having fun with group chats with Android customers, since a few of these options will not work if an Android person is current.

There will not be a lot the corporate can do concerning the X Fold 5’s iCloud integration. Whereas there aren’t native Android apps for iCloud Drive or Images, these providers can at all times be accessed by way of the online — so all Vivo wants is a few kind of bridge software program that you simply signal into along with your Apple Account.

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May Vivo get the greenlight anyway?

Some last ideas

Vivo / Pocket-lint

If there’s any probability of Vivo getting away with its plans, it lies in three issues. First is that Vivo is predicated in China — whereas Apple has its personal presence within the nation, it could most likely be an uphill battle to get native courts to take motion. I am not that acquainted with the Chinese language authorized system, however I do know that the nation is filled with merchandise that work round Western mental property. My very own Chinese language-made electrical unicycle is predicated off ideas initially patented by Segway.

Second, there will not be any technical means Apple might use to undermine Vivo’s efforts. It’d strive updating the HealthKit and iCloud frameworks, or plugging holes in watchOS, however these concepts are purely hypothetical for the second. It won’t even be definitely worth the assets, so far as Apple’s involved — X Fold 5 customers are solely going to get crippled variations of the options out there to iPhone house owners. There’s nonetheless a cause to go all-in on the Apple ecosystem, assuming you’ll be able to afford it.

Lastly, Apple won’t wish to be seen pushing the matter too arduous. It is already below hearth for anti-competitive practices in North America and Europe, together with its therapy of the Apple Watch. Broader Android compatibility might even be inevitable some day, irrespective of how arduous the corporate is prepared to combat.

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