Today, Apple announced a new set of changes it will implement across its mobile operating systems to better comply with the EU Digital Markets Act. As a result of its “ongoing dialogue with the European Commission,” the company will allow iPhones and iPads in the EU to set non-Apple defaults for more apps. In addition to the browser, mail, app store, and touchless apps, you’ll also be able to switch to a different default for phone calls, messaging, password management, keyboards, and spam filters.
All of this will be presented in a new Default Apps section at the top of the new Apps settings in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. The ability to set these new defaults will arrive “in an update later this year.” Then, in spring 2025, Apple will add support for setting defaults for navigation and translation apps.
New Default Apps section in Settings
Apple will also let EU users remove more built-in apps. “In an update later this year,” its mobile operating systems will let you remove the App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos, and Safari. So, of Apple’s apps, only Settings and Phone will be removed. not be deletable after that.
Finally, an updated browser choice screen will be offered in the EU to all users who have set Safari as their default browser, even if they have seen a choice screen before. This new choice screen will include additional information about third-party browsers, and developers of those browsers will get more data from Apple about the performance of the choice screen.
New browser selection screen
If you select a different default browser through this new choice screen and Safari is present in your Dock or on the first page of your Home screen, the browser you selected will replace the Safari icon in your Dock or on your Home screen. If your preferred third-party browser is already installed, it will open once you select it, and if it is not installed, it will begin downloading.
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