Apple Will Let You Choose and Remove Core Apps as it is set to make some major changes to how you can use your iPhone. In just a little while, those living in Europe will enjoy more control over their iPhone use.
These changes are set to occur as a result of pressure and demands mounted on the tech giants by the European Union (EU) regarding its new Digital Markets Act (DMA).
It’s all About Control
If you’re currently a resident in the EU, you’ll have more options to choose which apps your iPhone can use by default to open certain files and perform tasks. At the moment, you can already choose your default apps for web browsing, payments, and email. But Apple is set to expand the options to cover a lot more.
A statement on the Apple Developer website states that European Union customers will soon have the option to switch default apps for things like:
- Dialing phone numbers
- Sending messages
- Translating text
- Navigation (like maps)
- Managing passwords
- Keyboard apps
- Filtering spam calls
The point of this whole change is to allow users to choose what they want as much as the iPhone permits in relation to EU regulations, this comes with the freedom to set up your iPhone just the way you want.
Apple Will Let You Choose and Remove Core Apps, But When?
An iOS 18 upgrade later this year will allow you to choose among the predefined applications for messaging, phone calls, password managers, spam filters, and keyboards. Other features are expected to be available in the spring of 2025.
Apple is also changing how you choose your preferred web browser. In iOS 17.4, if Safari is your preferred browser, you’ll see a pop-up window displaying a random list of alternative browsers, each with a brief description. This pop-up will appear on all Apple devices. It’s part of Apple’s strategy to give you additional options.
Also See: Generative AI could transform the way we interact with enterprise software
Apple Will Let You Remove Core Apps
But that is not all. You’ll soon be able to remove some of Apple’s long-standing and core iOS apps, including as the App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos, and Safari.
This is significant because previously, you could only uninstall certain apps from your Home Screen and not completely erase them. Deleting the App Store may appear problematic because it is where you obtain new apps, but with third-party app stores becoming available on iOS, Apple is less concerned about it. And don’t worry, if you uninstall the App Store, you can still reinstall it from the Settings app.
For now, these major changes are only rolling out in the EU and there’s yet no word on the fate of other regions with regards to these changes. Now the big question is, will other regions see the same updates?
