Today, Apple announced a new set of changes it plans to implement to its mobile operating systems to better comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. As a result of “ongoing and 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, email, app store, and contactless apps, you’ll also be able to switch to different defaults for phone calls, messages, password management, keyboards, and spam call filters.
All of this will be presented in a new Default Apps section at the top of the new iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 app settings. The ability to set these new defaults will arrive “in an update later in the 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, only Settings and Phone will be removed from Apple’s apps. NO they will be able to be deleted.
Finally, an updated browser selection screen will be displayed in the EU to all users who have Safari set as their default browser, even if they have already seen the selection screen. This new selection screen will include additional information about third-party browsers, and the developers of those browsers will receive more data from Apple about the performance of the selection screen.
New Browser Selection Screen
If you select another browser as your default using this new selection screen and you had Safari in the Dock or on the first page of your Home screen, the selected browser will replace the Safari icon in the Dock or on the Home screen. If your preferred third-party browser is already installed, it will open when you select it, and if it is not installed, it will start downloading.
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