Do not imagine the hype – this Android telep...

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, 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 lately introduced that the telephone will assist a wide range of Apple applied sciences — together with the Apple Watch, which is often locked to iPhone possession, even should 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 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 response to 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 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, equivalent to distant management, and the flexibility to deal with their telephone as an prolonged show. That second possibility is especially fascinating, since Apple’s native equal — Sidecar — solely allows you to use an iPad, not an iPhone.

Boxiao lastly mentions assist 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 features. Native Apple units take pleasure in features like automated supply switching tied to your Apple Account.

As you might 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 shall 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 approach. Although folks have managed to pair Watches with Android telephones up to now — one thing Vivo’s seemingly 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 approach that allows you to skip an iPhone completely.

It is not possible that Vivo has partnered with Apple. The X Fold 5 may 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, equivalent to Beats headphones and Apple Music, but it surely would not utterly conceal one thing this vital, particularly if the goal was to promote extra Apple Watches.

If something, Apple will in all probability do all it may well to discourage Android customers from getting rival-supported Watch pairing, for the reason that product retains folks locked into its ecosystem. The Apple Watch will not be solely tightly built-in with iPhone options in a approach different smartwatches aren’t allowed, however creates a sunk-cost dilemma — should 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 units without delay.

Apple would possibly nicely attempt to sabotage something Vivo does that goes towards its norms. There’s sturdy precedent — one of the best lately being Beeper, which in 2023 managed to convey iMessage to Android telephones, just for Apple to intentionally break that performance on its finish. To at the present time, 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 consumer is current.

There is probably not a lot the corporate can do in regards to the X Fold 5’s iCloud integration. Whereas there aren’t native Android apps for iCloud Drive or Images, these companies can at all times be accessed through the online — so all Vivo wants is a few type of bridge software program that you simply signal into together with your Apple Account.

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May Vivo get the greenlight anyway?

Some closing 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 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 stuffed 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 is probably not any technical means Apple may use to undermine Vivo’s efforts. It would strive 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 definitely worth the assets, 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 may not wish to be seen pushing the matter too onerous. 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 may even be inevitable some day, regardless of how onerous the corporate is keen to combat.

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