Today, Apple announced a new set of changes it will implement across its mobile operating systems to better comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. As a result of its “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 marketplace, and contactless apps, you’ll also be able to switch to a different default for phone calls, messaging, password management, keyboards, and spam filtering.
All of this will be presented in a new Default Applications section at the top of the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18New Apps settings. 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 delete more built-in apps. “In an update later this year,” its mobile operating systems will let you delete the App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos, and Safari. So from Apple’s apps, just Settings and Phone no be deletable after that.
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 a selection screen before. This new selection screen will have additional information about third-party browsers, and the developers of those browsers will get more data from Apple about the performance of the selection screen.
New browser selection screen
If you select a different browser as your default through this new choice screen, and you have Safari in your Dock or on the first page of your Home Screen, the selected browser 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 as soon as you select it, and if it isn’t installed, it will begin downloading.