Apple’s decision to allow third<a href="https://news.ad-astra.icu/safari-exploit-can-leak-browser-histories-and-google-account-info.html” title=”Safari exploit can leak browser histories and Google account data”>-party browsers on its devices as part of its compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act is expected to lead to a new focus on browser market share in the near future.
Third-party browsers have been supported in iOS since version 14. What’s new is that Apple must now offer EU users a choice of which browser becomes the default when they use their device. Apple’s move to comply with this requirement is significant, given that WebKit, which powers Safari, is integral to many of the technologies and solutions in iPhones.
To provide this choice, EU customers are presented with a list of supported browsers they can use instead of Safari. Apple also confirmed plans to make it possible to remove Safari from devices later this year.
Apple’s approach to implementing browser choice is noteworthy. The company lists up to 11 browsers, selected on a nation-by-nation basis, based on the most frequently downloaded options in the last 12 months in the EU country where a user is located. Apple will update these choices annually. Browser developers must meet certain criteria to be included in the list, including gaining the ‘Default Browser Entitlement’ and being downloaded by at least 5,000 iPhone users across the EU in the prior calendar year.
Since Apple introduced the browser choice screen on iOS devices in the EU, at least one alternative browser developer reports a significant increase in downloads to iPhones. Brave claims to have seen a roughly 10% increase in the number of people installing its browser on iOS devices since Apple introduced the screen.
It is reasonable to assume that other browsers will also see increased installations as a result of the introduction of browser choice on Apple’s devices.
2024-03-15 23:00:03
Original from www.computerworld.com
