iOS 18’s new accessory setup is good for us, and good for Apple – 9to5Mac

When Apple first launched AirPods in 2016, it also introduced an entirely new accessory setup process designed to avoid the common pain point of Bluetooth pairing.

For almost eight years, it seemed like the company wanted to keep this exclusivity for its own headphones, with competitors unable to take advantage of it. But everything changes in iOS 18…

Bluetooth pairing is a pain

Granted, Bluetooth pairing isn’t a big deal. It’s a fairly quick process on its own with a new device, and the accessory is then automatically reconnected in the future.

But while it can take about 30 seconds at best, it’s a theoretically straightforward process that all too often turns into a battle.

How do you put your new (say) headphones into pairing mode? Some will automatically enter pairing mode as soon as you turn them on for the first time. Another device may ask you to identify and hold down a dedicated pairing button for two seconds. Or three seconds. Or four. Or five.

Another you may need to hold down the power button, also for a variable number of seconds. In some cases, you can turn it on and then do it, in other cases you have to hold it down continuously from off, otherwise it will just turn off again.

Or it may not be a dedicated button OR the power button, but another one that you have to hold down for a few seconds and you have to look in the user guide again.

Maybe you’ll get a flashing red-blue LED to indicate you’ve succeeded, maybe just a blue flash, maybe a quick flash, maybe a slow pulse – or maybe no light at all.

Once you’ve done that, you open your Settings app, select Bluetooth, scroll down your previously paired devices, and wait … for an unknown period of time.

For some accessories, with a companion app, you may also need to grant Bluetooth and Wireless permission for this.

For what should be a quick and simple process, it’s amazing how many features there can be.

Setting up the AirPods is a joy in comparison.

Open the case, hold your iPhone close, tap Connect, follow the instructions. There are no buttons to press, no Settings app involved. This is the very definition of Just Works.

But instead of making this simple process available to all iPhone users, regardless of their headphones of choice (or other Bluetooth accessories), Apple seemed determined to make this a USP of its own products.

The new accessory setup in iOS 18: Everyone wins

That changes in iOS 18. With a new API called AccessorySetupKit, third-party brands can now offer their customers the same painless setup experience.

Of course, this will require compatible devices (and it’s unclear if that involves the brand paying a licensing fee to Apple), so it’ll be a while before we see it from other companies, but hopefully it will soon become the norm.

This is a win for third-party brands, as it allows them to compete with Apple on a level playing field. It’s a clear win for consumers, who can now enjoy the same seamless setup process with their choice of accessories. But I’d argue it’s also a win for Apple.

Yes, keeping it exclusive may have won some sales over competing brands, so there’s probably a financial hit here. But the bigger point is that it improves the iPhone ownership experience for everyone, not just those who opt for Apple accessories. It further expands the ecosystem, and that – as much as the quality of its products – is a key part of Apple’s appeal.

9to5Mac collage of images from Apple and Sincerely Media on Unsplash