Apple will allow iPhone and iPad users in the European Union to remove the App Store and Safari browser, the company told developers on Thursday.
Apple has long fiercely protected its App Store as the sole gateway to digital content for its popular mobile devices, and the changes come as groundbreaking new European digital rules allow the company to loosen its control over devices in the bloc.
“EU users can remove App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos and Safari apps,” Apple said on a developer support page.
“You can't delete just the settings and phone.”
Apple said it will also add a special section that will allow iPhone and iPad users to manage default settings for the browser, messages, phone and other features.
“The browser engine is one of the most common attack vectors for malicious actors as it is constantly exposed to untrusted and potentially malicious content and has visibility into sensitive user data,” the iPhone maker said.
“To help keep users safe online, Apple will only allow developers to implement alternative browser engines if they meet certain criteria and comply with ongoing privacy and security requirements, including timely security updates to address emerging threats and vulnerabilities.”
Previously, app developers were required to use Apple's payment system on the App Store, and the tech giant got a cut of the deals.
But the EU argued that the rules prevented app developers from freely steering consumers to alternative payment methods, making Apple the first tech company to be accused of breaching new legislation known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Apple last month committed to making changes to comply with the DMA and address the findings of the European Commission, the EU's powerful antitrust regulator.
Starting in the fall, Apple said EU developers will be able to “communicate and advertise offers to purchase” anywhere, including through alternative app marketplaces.
The changes include a new fee structure for customers who link outside the app for offers and content.
“We will evaluate any final changes to Apple's compliance measures, also taking into account feedback from the market, in particular from developers,” the committee told AFP.
The DMA provides a list of what Big Tech companies can and cannot do to increase competition in the digital space: for example, they must provide choice screens in web browsers and search engines to give users more options.
The law gives the EU the power to impose heavy fines.
Apple isn't the only company subject to the DMA: Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok owner ByteDance must also comply.
Online travel giant Booking.com is due to be subject to regulation later this year, and the European Commission is also considering whether tech billionaire Elon Musk's X should also be subject to regulation.
GC/ST
