Among other things, users will be able to completely delete Safari from iOS in the future. Apple will also make it easier to move iPhone data to Android phones.
Apple has announced further changes to its iOS mobile operating system to bring it into line with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act. In the future, it should now be possible to uninstall Apple’s in-house browser Safari. However, Apple will probably not make this option available until the end of 2024.
Apple provides details in a “non-confidential summary of the DMA compliance report” published yesterday. The iPhone manufacturer describes it all adjustmentswhich were introduced with iOS 17.4 or Xcode 15.3 or are currently still to be implemented.
Under the item “Uninstalling apps for users in the EU”: “Apple users already have the option to remove pre-installed apps from their home screen on iOS. Apple also plans to give users the option to completely delete Safari from iOS if they wish. Apple wants to make this option available by the end of 2024.”
In addition, Apple plans to make it easier to move data stored on iPhones to devices with other operating systems, i.e. Android. Building on existing third-party apps for data transfer, Apple is working on its own solution to help developers improve their own solutions. The goal is to offer this solution by fall 2025, Apple continued.
A tool for switching from Safari to a third-party browser will also be made available in the coming months. “Apple is also working on a browser switching solution that will allow relevant browser data to be exported and imported to another browser on the same device,” the document says. Apple said the schedule would be late 2024 to early 2025.