Most of the default apps can’t be deleted from your iPhone. But that’s about to change.
You’ll soon be able to delete more default apps from your iPhone
Apple has in a blog for developers let us know that they are going to change a number of things in iOS 18 (and in iPadOS 18). There will be a new selection menu for choosing the default apps. You can then choose a new app for example the Phone app, the Camera app, the Messages app or the Passwords app.
With these changes, you can also remove more standard apps from your iPhone or iPad. It is then even possible to throw away the App Store app.
You can always redownload the default apps you removed from your iPhone in the App Store. Did you delete the App Store app? Then you have to download it in a new section of the Settings app. There will be a new tab where all the default apps you have set can be found. There you can also redownload the App Store.
There will also be a new browser selection screen. Apple will now show more information about the other browsers (in addition to Safari). Everyone who uses Safari as their default browser will see this new selection screen when the changes go into effect.
Apple must do this to meet the requirements of the Digital Markets Act. With the DMA, the government is trying to limit the power of large companies and to ensure that more competition is possible.
Alternative app store
In addition to removing the default apps on your iPhone that is coming soon, you can already set up an alternative app store. In April of 2024, the first alternative app store became available on the iPhone: the AltStore Pal.
Using the AltStore was still 1.82 euros per year. But thanks to a ‘Grant’ from Epic Games (a kind of sponsorship) the AltStore is now free to use for everyone. Read the article ‘AltStore is now free for everyone’ if you want to know how to install that alternative app store.
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