Apple has planned sweeping changes to its app ecosystem across the European Union (EU) this year. These include allowing iPhone and iPad users to delete native apps from the App Store and Safari browser, as the company hopes to avoid a hefty fine under the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
By the end of the year, Apple users will be able to choose a default browser directly from a selection screen after going through a list of options.
The option will be visible to all users based in the EU who have Safari set as their default.
A randomly ordered list of 12 browsers with short descriptions is displayed. Users must scroll through the entire list before making a selection.
Bloomberg As previously reported, Alphabet-owned Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 to become the default search engine for Safari.
Additional apps that Apple allows users to delete include Messages, Photos, and Camera.
“These updates are the result of our ongoing and continued dialogue with the European Commission on compliance with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act in these areas,” Apple said in a developer update.
The maximum penalty for violate the law is 10 percent of worldwide turnover, although repeat offenders may face a higher fine.
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