Apple Will Soon Let Some iPhone Users Delete The App Store Plus More Major iOS Changes

iPhone and iPad users in the European Union are about to get a lot more choices when it comes to what apps are present on their devices, with Apple being is under pressure from regulators. Even the seemingly immovable Apple App Store will make its way to the chopping block if a user makes that choice, thanks to the new rules brought on by the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

In an update to developers, the company says that “by the end of this year, we’ll make changes to the browser choice screen, default apps, and app deletion for iOS and iPadOS for users in the EU.” These changes will be implemented alongside the release of the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, adding a wrinkle to the setup process that hopefully doesn’t bog down users accustomed to a more streamlined experience.


At the very least Apple is looking to make the task of choosing all these default apps a little easier. There will be a new section within the Settings app, which will be introduced with iOS 18 and iPad OS 18, that will let users choose what they’d like to set as the default app for tasks such as password management, messaging, keyboards, and more.

These changes will have a big impact on Apple, just as much as it does on its users. The company relies on its partnership with Google where the search giant’s offerings are the default option in Safari. It’s likely that the revenue that Apple depended on with this search deal is going to decrease significantly now that Safari isn’t the default web browser in the EU.

It will be interesting to see what the user reaction is when this new reality sets in, and if it pushes other regions to make the same demands from Apple.