Apple is preparing for the most important wave of change in its recent history with the entry into force of the European Union Digital Markets Act. Without a doubt, iOS 17.4 This will be a sign of the before and after experience of European users. Especially with the emergence of third-party app stores and the introduction of alternative payment methods in the App Store. And also the next iPhone software update will make choosing your default web browser much easier.
Remember that the ability to set a default browser other than Safari has been available on iPhones since iOS 14. However, starting next March, Apple plans to make it even easier.
As Cupertino residents explained yesterday, once users install iOS 17.4 and open Safari for the first time, A window will appear allowing you to select another browser default for your iPhone. This way, they will be able to decide whether they will continue to use the application developed by Apple or prefer to continue using another one.
Now, 9to5Mac got more details on how the new option to choose the default web browser on iPhone will work. The above-mentioned media indicate that the window that will show alternatives to Safari will include a list with 12 most popular browsers in each countrybased on ratings in the App Store.
This will allow the European public to choose the option they find most convenient, and not be limited to using pre-installed software. Another interesting point is that iOS 17.4 will show browsers randomly rather than by popularity, so each user will see them in a different order.
iOS 17.4: Which browsers can be chosen as default on iPhone
As we already mentioned, Apple will show the 12 most popular browsers in each European Union country when you first open Safari in iOS 17.4. The lists are almost identical for logical reasons. However, there are quite specific exceptions.
Just to mention a couple of examples, Access to BlackBerry This will be one of the options available in Ireland, Sweden and Poland. Preliminary studyMeanwhile, it will only be shown to users in Cyprus and Portugal.
When Spainfor those who want to change the default browser on iPhone there will be these alternatives after updating to iOS 17.4:
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Opera
- DuckDuckGo
- brave
- Aloha
- Ecosia
- Onion browser
- Vivaldi
- AI search assistant on You.com
As you can see, there are 11 options on this list. It is logical that number 12 is none other than Safari.. As such, Apple is aiming to provide alternatives to its own browser that are easier to set as the default option.
Of course, this isn’t the only web browsing change coming in iOS 17.4. As part of its compliance with the new Digital Markets Act, Apple will no longer require WebKit as a required engine for its browsers.
This means that Google, for example, will be able to use its own technology in Chrome. The same will apply to other companies with similar applications. Although not everything will be left to chance. Apple will require developers meet certain requirements before abandoning WebKit in the European Union. Among the most important are blocking cross-site cookies by default, adhering to web standards, and protecting user privacy by not disclosing the device ID without prior explicit permission.
Source: Hiper Textual
I’m Ben Stock, a highly experienced and passionate journalist with a career in the news industry spanning more than 10 years. I specialize in writing content for websites, including researching and interviewing sources to produce engaging articles. My current role is as an author at Gadget Onus, where I mainly cover the mobile section.
