After pressure from the European Union, Apple will have to allow iPhones to delete native apps, including the App Store

In an announcement made last Thursday, September 22, the Apple announced that it will make adjustments to the settings of its operating systems, iOS and iPadOS, specifically in the European Union (EU).

This initiative aims to ensure compliance with local regulations and thus avoid the imposition of fines or even the prohibition of their activities in the region.

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What changes?

The main change announced is that iPhone or iPad users residing in the European Union will now have the option to uninstall a range of apps that come pre-installed on their devices. This includes widely used apps such as Messages, Photos, Camera, Safari and even the App Store itself.

This measure is expected to come into effect from the end of 2024, giving users more control over their devices, as well as helping to free up memory space and allowing them to replace these applications with others of their choice, downloaded by them.

For now, these changes are expected to affect only users residing in European Union member states. Additionally, throughout the current year, Apple has plans to introduce other flexibilities in its mobile operating systems.

One of these additional measures involves simplifying the process of changing the default browser on Apple devices, accompanied by detailed information about each of the available options to facilitate the user’s choice.

Other changes will make iOS even more open

Furthermore, another modification presented refers to the creation of an exclusive section within the Settings menu, where it will be possible to manage the default applications for various functions, such as dialer, keyboard, password manager and web browser.

This will make it much easier for users to replace these pre-established functionalities with other alternatives they may prefer.

All of these changes are being implemented as part of Apple’s effort to adapt to the requirements of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into force in March of this year and sets specific deadlines for companies to comply with the recently instituted anti-competitive rules.

It is worth remembering that Apple had previously been compelled, by EU legislation, to allow the installation of app stores developed by third parties in that region — a practice that, until then, was only possible through unlocking Apple devices.

In case you didn’t know, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) aims to regulate the market practices of large digital platforms, ensuring fair competition and innovation. This includes measures to prevent dominant companies from abusing their position to harm consumers and smaller businesses. In addition, the DMA will be able to impose significant sanctions for failure to comply with its guidelines.