Browser selection: Apple's plans for iPhone and iPad in detail
In dialog with the EU, Apple is changing the browser selection dialog it has had since spring. In future, alternative web programs should have a better chance.
No longer just Safari: Apple gives EU citizens a choice.
(Image: Apple)
Apple has published further details on the new browser selection dialog that the company intends to implement by the end of the year as part of its latest adjustments to the Digital Markets Act within the EU. Since iOS 17.4 was released in the spring, users have been able to decide in a simplified way to use a different browser on their iPhone and iPad instead of Safari –, i.e. no longer just in the settings menu, but via a dedicated "Browser Choice Screen". However, the browser manufacturers had criticized the implementation, which apparently also reached the EU competition authorities. In its "ongoing and continuous dialog with the European Commission", Apple has therefore decided to make further changes.
When the browser selection dialog will appear
According to an updated support document for developers, various changes are planned – both visually and in terms of functionality. For example, the selection dialog should appear for all users who use Safari as their default browser the first time they open Safari –, even for those who have already seen it. All you need to do is install the corresponding iOS and iPadOS update later this year. If an alternative browser has already been selected, the selection dialog will no longer appear.
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In addition, Apple now only shows the choice screen "once per device" and no longer "once per user" – This may be a disadvantage for providers of alternative browsers. When migrating to a new device, the selection dialog is shown again if the default browser was previously Safari – unlike other settings, this is not applied.
Design changes with more information, data for developers
Apple is also improving the design of the selection dialog. This includes being able to select the alternative browser directly without being redirected to the product page in the App Store. The subtitle from the product page is displayed, and further information from the product page can be folded out directly. Users have to scroll through the entire browser list before they can make a selection. These are the eleven most frequently downloaded Safari alternatives in the respective country over the past year; the list is updated once a year.
Once the selection has been completed, the new default browser is executed immediately. If it has not yet been downloaded, it will be downloaded directly from the selection dialog. If Safari is in the user's dock or on the first page of the home screen, its icon will be replaced by that of the new default browser –, but only if it has not yet been installed. Finally, Apple will pass on more data to browser developers in future. An API in App Store Connect can be used to retrieve information about the performance of the respective app on the Browser Choice Screen. This includes the frequency of selection as well as information about the actual selection of the default browser. To participate, however, developers must contact Apple directly. The following e-mail address is available for this purpose: dma-data@apple.com. Apple has not yet given an exact date for when the new browser selection dialog will be available.
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