In a new document relating to the measures taken to comply with the requirements of the European Union and in particular the law on digital markets, Apple revealed that it will allow European users to set default navigation and translation applications from of “spring 2025”. If the order of things is followed, all this will take us to iOS 18.4 (and iPadOS 18.4).
A confirmation of future development
This summer, Apple had already announced that iPhone and iPad users could set default navigation and translation applications in “future software updates”, without specifying the date. From now on, European customers know that they will have to wait until spring, and therefore most likely the iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates.
Both of these options will be found in the new “Default Apps” section of the app Settings on devices. Thanks to this, you can choose to launch Waze by default instead of Apple Maps and Google Translate instead of Translate, for example. Obviously, it’s hard to imagine the majority switching from Apple to Google on their mobiles.
For the record, since the iOS 18.2 beta, iPhone users in the EU can already set a default browser app, messaging app, app marketplace, phone calls app , a messaging app, a password manager app, and set default options for call screening and soft keypads. It is also possible to delete the App Store, Photos, Messages and others.
THE compliance document of Apple was made public this afternoon, alongside the European Commission’s announcement that it will assess whether Apple’s changes to iPadOS actually comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
