Last night, Apple released the first beta of the upcoming iOS 18.2 update to developers. We could see some changes in Europe such as the possibility of deleting Apple applications, but that’s not all. Apple has also added a control page in the settings which allows you to define which application you want for messages, emails, calls, etc.
The power to control everything
European legislation imposes new rules on tech giants and Apple is no exception. To meet the requirements of the law Digital Markets Act (DMA)Apple is rolling out a new feature in iOS 18.2 that will transform the way users interact with their apps. The update introduces a “Default Applications” section in the Settings application, which allows unprecedented control over the applications used by default on the iPhone.
The DMA forces companies like Apple to offer more choices to consumers. Users should be able to replace native applications (such as Safari or Mail) with alternatives accessible on the App Store and which are not developed by Apple. The sole objective of this obligation is to establish fairer competition and limit anti-competitive practices. In order to avoid a significant fine for non-compliance with this law, Apple has taken the lead by integrating this new functionality into iOS 18.2.
Initially, this feature was only meant to be available to European users, but the Default Apps page appears to have been rolled out globally in the first beta of iOS 18.2. This means that all iPhone users, wherever they are, will be able to choose their default apps.
Full control for the user
Thanks to this new section, each user will have the possibility to personalize their iOS experience even more. Among the applications that can be replaced as default applications, we find:
- Messages
- Emails
- Safari
- Passwords
- Phone
- Call filter
As well as other applications.
In other words, you will now be able to use your favorite messaging or navigation application without having to systematically return to Apple’s native application. It’s a small revolution in the closed ecosystem that Apple has always defended.
