Apple to Let EU Users Set New Defaults for Multiple Apps, Delete App Store, Photos, Messages and More

[Reeneman]

Without the EU we still would look out for slow lightning connections on our newest iPhones.

 

[BaldiMac]

But you know, here comes EU and says that they have to change it. We probably will never know for sure, but in my personal opinion, there is serious chance, that actually what EU enforced could fit Apple, if they wanted finally switch to USB-C anyway. No matter what, if it would be just Apple decision, it would be big uproar from all sides, but you know, EU forced new law and Apple fought for their customers but lost...

I think Apple would have switched to USB-C unless they came up with something that was significantly better. Much like how lightning was significantly better than USB before USB-C.

 

[surferfb]

EDIT: And actually, what should worry you, if you are EU citizen, that no European company was indicated as gate keeper. We lost that race long ago, and no DMA will fix it.

In fact, there's strong hints that the gatekeeper definition was written specifically to avoid naming Spotify as a gatekeeper. This European professor thinks it was.

The spectre of protectionist intervention is reinforced by the fact that revenue thresholds outlined in the DMA seem designed purposefully to exclude European platforms, notably Spotify

Why not use the standard "dominant" market position that the EU has used for decades for antitrust action, and instead make up a "gatekeeper" term? According to the EU's anti-trust website:

Market shares are a useful first indication of the importance of each firm on the market in comparison to the others. The Commission's view is that the higher the market share, and the longer the period of time over which it is held, the more likely it is to be a preliminary indication of dominance. If a company has a market share of less than 40%, it is unlikely to be dominant.

So why didn't they use that 40% standard as the baseline in the DMA? And instead invented company revenue and monthly active user standards? I am sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Apple's marketshare in the EU smartphone market is under 30% and Spotify's share of the EU streaming music market is 56%.

 

[AppliedMicro]

As a citizen of the EU: forcing companies to design products in a certain way and manipulating the market is not freedom.

Neither is a trillion-dollar for-profit company dictating what apps can sell and look like on a duopoly platform.

Freedom through government mandate isn't really "freedom"

Being governed by a trillion-dollar rent-seeking company isn't freedom either.

I want the freedom to buy the Apple product I want because it has the features I want, and not be forced to subsidize your desire to have options that you can get through buying a different product that is already available to you.

So do I: I want to buy the Apple product I want - despite some features lacking from it.

I can't wait to see more of the features Apple will hold back from Europe. The AI stuff is not going and Google is doing the same with their AI Stuff in Europe. It will be great to see Europe choked out of even more features.

Someone will pick up the slack - could be European companies, if necessary.

so the bit you are missing here is the EU changes have affected the code base of ALL iPhones who upgraded software.
the EU bits aren't enabled, but they sit there nonetheless.

I bet they're tons of things in iOS that aren't enabled in your country - yet still are there.

It irritates me because it breaks my UX experience related to device change, till now it was click, clik, enter Apple ID, click, clik, everything is exactly the same as on old device

Have you set up iPhones lately and noticed all the dialogues Apple make you go through?
Let alone all the services they're trying to shove down user's throats?
You literally can't pair and use AirPods with your iPhone without being offered a trial subscription for Apple Music.

 

[RealE]

I'm not sure how that would be a problem.

Back in the flip phone days, I'd LOVE to have been able to delete the text capability from my phone, preventing me from receiving ANY text messages and keeping the telco from charging me for them. Back then I'd respond to anybody texting me by calling them.

It's less relevant today since no telco I'm aware of charges for texts any more, but I could definitely see deleting Messages and Mail being a good thing to do while on vacation if it would block everything from getting to you. Can't be worried about somebody's work 'emergency' if you don't know about it.

I can for sure see this as a way to avoid spam texts today (if it becomes possible).

As for disconnecting while on vacation, e-mail will sit on your provider's server, but text messages will disappear into the ether if your phone looks like it received them but the app layer wasn't there to display them. An amusing edge case (that may not even be possible because I'm sure Apple's developers will require at least one app capable of handling SMS et al before deleting the Messages app).

 

[surferfb]

Someone will pick up the slack - could be European companies, if necessary.

Not when you chase all the AI companies out by regulating AI before you can even define what it is. Even some of your countries think you're going too far there:

Some EU countries have previously advocated self-regulation over government-led curbs, amid concerns that stifling regulation could set hurdles in Europe's progress to compete with Chinese and American companies in the tech sector. Detractors have included Germany and France, which house some of Europe's promising AI startups.

And don't think you get to license Llama to build your AI-powered tech, or use any tech that uses Llama on the back end.

• Meta says its decision also means that European companies will not be able to use the multimodal models even though they are being released under an open license.
• It could also prevent companies outside of the EU from offering products and services in Europe that make use of the new multimodal models.

OK, just build your own AI models then? Going to be kinda hard without NVIDIA (in the EU's defense, it's just France going after NVIDIA).

 

[tmaciak]

Have you set up iPhones lately and noticed all the dialogues Apple make you go through?
Let alone all the services they're trying to shove down user's throats?
You literally can't pair and use AirPods with your iPhone without being offered a trial subscription for Apple Music.

Last time in November, if it counts, and I haven’t noticed anything shoved down my throat. I have Apple Music since it was released though.

 

[iOS Geek]

Without the EU we still would look out for slow lightning connections on our newest iPhones.

Nevermind the fact that iPhone design decisions are worked on years in advance, and the USB-C mandate from the power (and money)-hungry EU overlords doesn't come into effect until the end of this year. Just saying...

Apple could've released the iPhone 15 with a Lightning port last year and would NOT have been in violation of the EU USB-C mandate...

 

[I7guy]

So it’s baseless then…

I understand there is regional bias playing into this.

So what evidence or reasons do you have to state a false allegation?

An allegation this is not. It’s an opinion based on the the factors as I see them. What I see is: if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck etc.

That European firms will have any benefits above any American or non European firms in regard to the DMA?

Stating an opinion supported without evidence is false information you’re speaking.

Stating an opinion doesn’t require a citation. But there must be a grain of truth to it based on the responses.

It being there is irrelevant with we have existing consumer laws. And it’s outside the DMA.

It’s can both be not a landmark consumer decision and not a cash grab.

It’s a landmark consumer decision only due to the crappy nature of it. And yes, it’s a cash grab.

 

[MilaM]

In the sense that the EU would have to approve adoption of the new port.

USB4 over USB-C supports up to 40 Gbit and 80 Gbit is already speced. The base iPhone 15 has USB2 with an astonishing link speed of 480 Mbits 🫠.

Phone manufacturers can implement even faster protocols with the same USB-C connector. I don't think speed or features will be a problem in the foreseeable future. And should the connector ever become a bottleneck in ten maybe twenty years, we can worry about it then.

 

[ric22]

Requiring WebKit to power all iOS browsers was on the EU hit list too. I wonder what came of that

EU are keeping busy... I suspect we'll hear more on this within a year.

Overall it must be a good thing that we can take control of OUR OWN devices. If someone wishes to remain fully within the safety and comfort of the Apple walled garden, then still can.

 

[BaldiMac]

USB4 over USB-C supports up to 40 Mbit and 80 Mbit is already speced. The base iPhone 15 has USB2 with an astonishing link speed of 480 Mbits 🫠.

Phone manufacturers can implement even faster protocols with the same USB-C connector. I don't think speed or features will be a problem in the foreseeable future. And should the connector ever become a bottleneck in ten maybe twenty years, we can worry about it then.

Speed has nothing to do with my point. I'm referring to the connector.

 

[MilaM]

EDIT: And actually, what should worry you, if you are EU citizen, that no European company was indicated as gate keeper. We lost that race long ago, and no DMA will fix it.

Is it unfortunate, that big tech is dominated by foreign companies? Sure. But it's not like all is lost. We have some competitive (real) industries. Even the mighty Nvidia uses partly European chip technology which is then used to actually produce semiconductors in Taiwan.

 

[MilaM]

Speed has nothing to do with my point. I'm referring to the connector.

Do you want to change the connector again? I'm quite content with USB-C for now. I have it on my MacBook, iPad, Macs. Only need to get rid of it on my iPhone .

 

[BaldiMac]

Do you want to change the connector again? I'm quite content with USB-C for now. I have it on my MacBook, iPad, Macs. Only need to get rid of it on my iPhone

"Want" has nothing to do with it. My point was simply that the trade off for the EU picking a winner is that it will slow the pace of innovation. Heck USB-C has already been around as long as any of its predecessors. Would we have gotten a replacement soon without the EU's market interference? We'll probably never know.

 

[MilaM]

"Want" has nothing to do with it. My point was simply that the trade off for the EU picking a winner is that it will slow the pace of innovation. Heck USB-C has already been around as long as any of its predecessors. Would we have gotten a replacement soon without the EU's market interference? We'll probably never know.

There are always tradeoffs with standards. We can worry about the next connector when it's time for that. Also, let's be happy the EU did not mandate the Micro-B USB3 plug 😆.

 

[tmaciak]

Considering, that probably next connector will be no connector, worry about that is pointless anyway. Even now, only place where I still plug cable into my phone is my car and it will hopefully change next year.

 

[wbeasley]

I never said I needed to get my apps outside of the App Store, I just pointed out that the way Apple handled it is disappointing.

It's surprising how people on this forum continue to defend everything Apple does. Apple could have simply allowed sideloading without all the resistance, and everything would have been fine.

The way they've handled it feels petty and makes me dislike Apple as a company.

Also, I use an iPhone because I prefer it over an Android phone, but that doesn't mean I'm in favor of keeping everything exactly as it is.

Besides, I’ve invested a lot of money into the Apple ecosystem and don’t want to switch just like that. However, if Apple continues with its anti-consumer behavior, I will certainly reconsider my choice for my next smartphone.

Hahaha. Well if you dont need to get apps outside the store, then how do you know what motivates others to want this?

This isnt about empathy for them.
I'm extremely happy to hear from people who cant get what they want in the AppStore and WHY they need it.

The biggest reason to sideload was game emulators. And Apple now allow it.
What else? and why?

And Epic games is not about allowing games. Epic still pay store commissions and InAppPurchase fees on things bought on console stores. They knew the Apple rules and chose to disobey those rules. They are freeloaders. Simple. Who aren't consistent. Their app store is going to be just like Apple's but with slightly lower fees. A few percent? that's not going to set the world on fire. It will be absorbed as profit with consumers paying the same price. It's just Epic getting into making money off other devs.

And the game peak for Fortnite has probably been reached anyway.
I hear significantly less chatter and use of it among the kids. They've moved along.

Most of us here dont love everything Apple does.
Apple developed the iOS environment to be secure. A consumer device not a tech playground.
If you dislike Apple as a company, you have alternatives. Go explore them.
But you PREFER the iPhone? Geez.
Life (and purchasing decisions) are full of compromises.

I dont like to break it to you but life isnt all about what you want.
There's a generation of Influencers who are finding that out.

 

[dba415]

Awesome news for EU folks who will be able to change their default messaging app. Hopefully WhatsApp adds sms support

 

[wbeasley]

Without the EU we still would look out for slow lightning connections on our newest iPhones.

You know the non Pro iPhones will still have slow transfer speeds because the EU didnt control that part of their directive...

 

[wbeasley]

Excellent point!

Messages has been one of the biggest sources of malware being planted on the iPhone outside of the idiotic Apple app store.

Got links for that?
And how many were affected?

I've seen many firsthand Android phones affected or bricked from installing apps from text or email.
Not known a single iPhone user who had that issue.

So I look forward to seeing what you have read on this topic...

 

[tmaciak]

Lol, only SMSes I’m getting are authorization codes or order statuses and I would rather not let app from Meta read those. BTW I doubt that 3rd party messaging app will support automatic reading and deleting authorization SMSes.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Got links for that?
And how many were affected?

Ask and you shall receive.

I've seen many firsthand Android phones affected or bricked from installing apps from text or email.

Got a link for that?

 

[Powerbooky]

If the Messages app is deleted without a replacement app, will those users simply not be able to receive SMS/MMS messages?

WhatsApp probably will scrape SMS too. MMS is phased out by most phone companies so that's no issue anymore.
Personally I'll keep my iOS settings as they are. Messages works fine for me. I won't install WhatsApp ever.

I'm afraid though that one day the EU will force us to use only "EU approved" apps that they can monitor.

 

[I7guy]

Excellent point!

Messages has been one of the biggest sources of malware being planted on the iPhone outside of the idiotic Apple app store.

For the three times it happened I’ll take my chances with message. In fact I’ll take my chances with apple over android or microsoft.