To avoid hefty fines, Apple will change the browsers and default app options in the European Union market by the end of the year

On Thursday, August 22, Apple announced that by the end of this year, European Union users will be able to more easily choose default web browsers other than Safari on iPhone and iPad, as well as delete more first-party Apple-developed applications.

Specifically, Apple has redesigned the browser "choice screens" on the initial setup page of the phone, which will randomly display the top 12 third-party browser options available in each country/region of the EU (including Safari browser). By fetching the product page subtitles from the Apple App Store, more information about these browsers is provided to facilitate user decision-making.

The latest design also requires users to scroll through the complete list before actually installing the alternative browser. The selected browser to be installed will be pinned to the top of the screen. If a user chooses a browser that is not yet installed on the mobile device, the browser will automatically download after confirmation, then automatically open and inform the user that the current browser has become the default setting, with the app icon automatically replacing Safari.

Some analysts point out that Apple's adjustment to facilitate user switching of default browser settings, in addition to the redesign of the "choice screens" to highlight the randomness of browser display positions and avoid suppressing any third-party browser applications, also includes a "feature description" to address the dissatisfaction of small independent browser manufacturers in the past. Furthermore, it provides a one-stop service for downloading, installing, and opening, eliminating multiple steps.

One of the potentially biggest changes is that the "choice screens" mentioned above will be displayed more frequently than before, especially on iPhones or iPads where Safari is still set as the default browser.

Once users update to the iOS 18 and the latest iPadOS operating system released this fall, if Safari remains the default browser, the "choice screens" will pop up to remind users of their right to choose other browsers. Previously, this screen was only displayed when users set up their devices for the first time. Users will also see the choice screen again when migrating to a new device with Safari as the default browser.

The second major change announced by Apple today is that EU users of mobile devices will be able to delete more default applications on iPhones and iPads later this year. Apple will display a "centralized settings" to easily view a list of all available default apps, including phone calls, messaging, translation, navigation, password management, keyboard, and spam call filters.

In other words, by the end of this year, EU users will be able to delete Apple's self-developed applications on their mobile devices, which are usually pre-installed default settings, including the App Store, Messages, Photos, Camera, and Safari browser Apple said that deleted default applications can be re-downloaded from the App Store at any time, and for users who have deleted all App Store applications, they can restore any Apple default app under the "Settings" of the device in the application installation tab.

Apple stated that the latest changes are in response to the European Commission's first round of investigation into the "Digital Markets Act" (DMA) initiated by the company in March this year, hoping that a series of new changes will be sufficient to address the enforcement concerns of the European Union without risking a "comprehensive non-compliance determination" and thereby avoiding fines of up to 10% of the company's global annual turnover.

The European Commission responded by stating that the investigation into Apple as a "designated gatekeeper" providing users with a "choice obligation" is still ongoing, and efforts will be made to develop compliant solutions together.

As a designated gatekeeper under pan-European regulations, Apple must open its mobile ecosystem in various ways, with the European Union aiming to promote competition and consumer choice diversification. In addition to iOS, iPadOS has also been designated as a "core platform service" constrained by the DMA. Earlier this year, the European Union believed that Apple's browser "choice screen" design made it difficult for users to switch out of the Safari browser, "potentially preventing users from truly choosing services within the Apple ecosystem, which violates Article 6(3) of the DMA."

Just a day ago, there were reports that Matt Fischer, the long-time head of the Apple App Store since 2010, will leave in October this year. The department will be split into two teams, one responsible for managing Apple's own store and the other for distributing other applications, as part of a restructuring plan for this profitable department. The Apple App Store is facing strict regulatory scrutiny as multiple regulatory agencies are concerned about its excessive power in the mobile software market.

The latest news on Thursday briefly erased Apple's earlier 0.7% decline at midday, but after a brief turnaround, it fell again and hit a new daily low.