Do not imagine the hype – this Android telephone will not help Apple merchandise for lengthy

Regardless of being in tech information, I do not comply with China’s home smartphone market too intently. Most of the telephones launched there’ll by no means attain the US or Canada, until maybe they’re imported by diehards, so 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 telephone will help a wide range of Apple applied sciences — together with the Apple Watch, which is normally locked to iPhone possession, even in case 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 certain — do not count on Vivo to get away with this for lengthy until 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

Based on 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 to this point.

Vivo can also be promising that well being metrics from a Watch could 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 have to be a software program workaround for extracting HealthKit knowledge.

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, resembling distant management, and the power to deal with their telephone as an prolonged show. That second choice is especially attention-grabbing, since Apple’s native equal — Sidecar — solely permits you to use an iPad, not an iPhone.

Boxiao lastly mentions help for AirPods. It is already attainable to pair AirPods with Android telephones, however on this case Vivo is supposedly delivering “the unique smoothness of the Apple ecosystem,” fairly than simply primary voice and playback capabilities. Native Apple gadgets get pleasure from capabilities like computerized 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 might be short-lived, given Apple’s insurance policies and observe 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 gadget, and definitely operates that means. Although folks have managed to pair Watches with Android telephones up 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’ve got wanted a cellular-equipped Watch, plus an iPhone for preliminary setup. Even as soon as a Watch is paired with an Android telephone, 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 means that permits you to skip an iPhone totally.

It is not possible that Vivo has partnered with Apple. The X Fold 5 may launch as quickly as the tip 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 likely to downplay its help of Android with some merchandise, resembling Beats headphones and Apple Music, but it surely would not fully conceal one thing this important, particularly if the intention was to promote extra Apple Watches.

If something, Apple will in all probability do all it could to discourage Android customers from getting rival-supported Watch pairing, because the product retains folks locked into its ecosystem. The Apple Watch is just not solely tightly built-in with iPhone options in a means different smartwatches aren’t allowed, however creates a sunk-cost dilemma — in case you’ve simply purchased an $800 Apple Watch Extremely 2, you are in all probability going to make your subsequent telephone improve one other iPhone to keep away from the expense of changing two gadgets without delay.

Apple would possibly effectively attempt to sabotage something Vivo does that goes towards its norms. There’s robust precedent — one of the best lately being Beeper, which in 2023 managed to deliver iMessage to Android telephones, just for Apple to intentionally break that performance on its finish. To this present day, 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 might 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 Pictures, these providers can at all times be accessed through the online — so all Vivo wants is a few form of bridge software program that you just signal into along with your Apple Account.

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Might Vivo get the greenlight anyway?

Some ultimate ideas

Vivo / Pocket-lint

If there’s any likelihood 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 will in all probability be an uphill battle to get native courts to take motion. I am not that conversant in 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 might not be any technical means Apple may use to undermine Vivo’s efforts. It would attempt updating the HealthKit and iCloud frameworks, or plugging holes in watchOS, however these concepts are purely hypothetical for the second. It may not even be well 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 possibly can afford it.

Lastly, Apple may not need to be seen pushing the matter too onerous. It is already beneath fireplace for anti-competitive practices in North America and Europe, together with its remedy of the Apple Watch. Broader Android compatibility may even be inevitable some day, irrespective of how onerous the corporate is prepared to combat.

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