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 carefully. Lots of the telephones launched there’ll by no means attain the US or Canada, except 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 just 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 if you happen to purchase a mobile mannequin.

So what’s Vivo promising, and the way does this end-run round Apple’s walled backyard work? Particulars are gentle for the time being, however one factor’s for positive — do not count on 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 line with the product supervisor, Han Boxiao, Apple Watch customers will be capable to see calls and texts from a paired X Fold 5. Shared imagery suggests that folks will be capable to reply calls from their Watch, nevertheless it’s much less clear if you can reply to texts. That is presumably the case — simply unconfirmed to date.

Vivo can 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 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 homeowners, 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 doable to pair AirPods with Android telephones, however on this case Vivo is supposedly delivering “the unique smoothness of the Apple ecosystem,” somewhat than simply primary voice and playback capabilities. Native Apple gadgets take pleasure in capabilities like automated supply switching tied to your Apple Account.

As you will have gathered, Vivo has but to elucidate 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 report.

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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 method. Although individuals have managed to pair Watches with Android telephones up to now — one thing Vivo’s probably constructing off of — that course of has all the time 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 might 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 method 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 help of Android with some merchandise, resembling Beats headphones and Apple Music, nevertheless it would not utterly conceal one thing this vital, particularly if the purpose was to promote extra Apple Watches.

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

Apple would possibly effectively attempt to sabotage something Vivo does that goes in opposition to its norms. There’s sturdy precedent — the most effective 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 are supposed 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 all the time be accessed through the net — 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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Might Vivo get the greenlight anyway?

Some closing 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 relies in China — whereas Apple has its personal presence within the nation, it will most likely be an uphill battle to get native courts to take motion. I am not that accustomed to the Chinese language authorized system, however I do know that the nation is stuffed with merchandise that work round Western mental property. My very own Chinese language-made electrical unicycle relies off ideas initially patented by Segway.

Second, there might not be any technical means Apple might 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 won’t even be well worth the sources, so far as Apple’s involved — X Fold 5 customers are solely going to get crippled variations of the options accessible to iPhone homeowners. 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 need to be seen pushing the matter too onerous. It is already underneath fireplace for anti-competitive practices in North America and Europe, together with its remedy of the Apple Watch. Broader Android compatibility might even be inevitable some day, irrespective of how onerous the corporate is prepared to battle.

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