Third-Party Default Email and Browser Apps in iOS 14 Reset After App Updates

[MacRumors]

With iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, Apple allowed users to select third-party apps as the default email app and browser. Last month, a widespread bug reverted these settings to Apple's default apps whenever a user's device was rebooted.

Although that bug was fixed, a new bug in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 is now afflicting the selection of third-party email apps and browsers. It appears that whenever a selected third-party app is updated, the default app selection for email app or browser is reset to Apple's Mail or Safari.

The Verge has now confirmed that whenever you update your chosen default app via the App Store in iOS 14.1, it gets removed from the default app slot.

Users should be aware that they will need to re-select their preferences every time a third-party mail app or browser that has been set as default is updated. You may wish to avoid updating your preferred third-party browser or mail app until it is convenient to reselect the default in settings, or until Apple has released a fix.

However, MacRumors understands that the bug may have already been fixed in the iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 betas.

The likes of Chrome, Edge, DuckDuckGo, and Firefox can be set as default browsers, while Gmail, Spark, and Microsoft Outlook can be set as default Mail apps, among others. Users who prefer an alternative to Safari or Apple's native Mail app can choose an alternative and it should be opened automatically whenever the system requires it, providing the app has not recently been updated, that is.

Article Link: Third-Party Default Email and Browser Apps in iOS 14 Reset After App Updates

 

[eicca]

Apple is going kicking and screaming into this changing-default-apps thing...

 

[dguisinger]

Wow....seriously, no one ever tested past reboot or upgrading an app in all those months iOS 14 was in development?
These are the most basic flaws, its like they weren't even trying

 

[stringParameter]

Someone in Cupertino threw their toys out of the pram...

 

[Crazy Badger]

Let's hope this isn't going to happen after every update

 

[TroyBoy30]

well thats embarrassing

 

[fumi2014]

This is simply unforgivable.

Tim, if you're reading this, you need to clear your desk. HR have been notified.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Put that neural engine to use, Apple! 😆

 

[Vanilla35]

FB and Google also have plenty of these "accidental" bugs. Not surprised in the least

 

[jpsalazar]

Just in time for the legal battle ensuing on Capital Hill.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

"It's a feature" - Apple

 

[mppn]

Can confirm it is fixed in 14.2 beta 4

 

[Romeo_Nightfall]

"It's a feature" - Apple

i bet everything the famboys here find a reason why this is just cool from Apple!

 

[gtmead09]

How is this considered new? The forums have been talking about this for weeks.....

 

[0815]

Interesting to see what will the happen in my case where I deleted the apple mail app and have no default to fall back too ...

 

[FlyingTexan]

How do I select another app as my primary?

With iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, Apple allowed users to select third-party apps as the default email app and browser. Last month, a widespread bug reverted these settings to Apple's default apps whenever a user's device was rebooted.

Although that bug was fixed, a new bug in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 is now afflicting the selection of third-party email apps and browsers. It appears that whenever a selected third-party app is updated, the default app selection for email app or browser is reset to Apple's Mail or Safari.

The Verge has now confirmed that whenever you update your chosen default app via the App Store in iOS 14.1, it gets removed from the default app slot.

Users should be aware that they will need to re-select their preferences every time a third-party mail app or browser that has been set as default is updated. You may wish to avoid updating your preferred third-party browser or mail app until it is convenient to reselect the default in settings, or until Apple has released a fix.

However, MacRumors understands that the bug may have already been fixed in the iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 betas.

The likes of Chrome, Edge, DuckDuckGo, and Firefox can be set as default browsers, while Gmail, Spark, and Microsoft Outlook can be set as default Mail apps, among others. Users who prefer an alternative to Safari or Apple's native Mail app can choose an alternative and it should be opened automatically whenever the system requires it, providing the app has not recently been updated, that is.

Article Link: Third-Party Default Email and Browser Apps in iOS 14 Reset After App Updates

 

[Mr. Awesome]

Wow....seriously, no one ever tested past reboot or upgrading an app in all those months iOS 14 was in development?
These are the most basic flaws, its like they weren't even trying

Well, seeing as they didn’t have any third-party apps to test it on (the apps couldn’t be updated to iOS 14 until after the 14 GM release) they couldn’t test updating apps.

 

[DaveTheRave]

I have never been able to make this work with Gmail unless I deleted the stock iOS mail app. My apps are all updated. In Gmail itself, I do not see an option to make it default. Should it be there? I know of the iOS Settings app way of selecting Gmail to be default, but the Gmail app makes no reference to it. Any ideas?

 

[joeblow7777]

So that's why I had to change my defaults again...

 

[GadgetVirtuoso]

Mine did not reset with the 14.1 update.

 

[Confused Vorlon]

Meanwhile - if you delete the Mail app and pick (say) Gmail as your default, then the standard way for Apps to send email stops working completely.

MFMailComposeViewController canSendMail always returns false

I am trying to send email using MFMailComposeViewController on my iOS application. I have a Gmail account configured in the iPhone default Mail app. But whenever I try to send email, I am getting

stackoverflow.com

 

[bobbie424242]

Setting default apps and making that choice stick is hard.

 

[GadgetVirtuoso]

Interesting to see what will the happen in my case where I deleted the apple mail app and have no default to fall back too ...

It will give you an error saying the mail app is not installed.

 

[dguisinger]

Well, seeing as they didn’t have any third-party apps to test it on (the apps couldn’t be updated to iOS 14 until after the 14 GM release) they couldn’t test updating apps.

You don't need a 3rd party app to test it with; you build a simple dummy app in house that doesn't do anything and test that it gets associated and triggered when needed. Thats how software development works, you don't release a feature without testing it.

 

[DougieS]

Well, seeing as they didn’t have any third-party apps to test it on (the apps couldn’t be updated to iOS 14 until after the 14 GM release) they couldn’t test updating apps.

They could have easily made a fork of safari with a new bundle identifier to test this feature though.