iPhone users in the EU will soon be able to delete the App Store

iOS devices in the EU will soon have a default Apps section and the ability to delete some default apps.

By the end of this year, iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 users in Europe will gain more control over their apps as Apple complies with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) requirements set by the European Commission.

Soon, iPhone and iPad users will be able to delete apps such as the App Store, Messages, Photos, Camera, and Safari.

There will also be a new Default Apps section in Settings that lists the defaults available to each user.

“In future software updates, users will get new default settings for dialing phone numbers, sending messages, translating text, navigation, managing passwords, keyboards, and call spam filters,” Apple said in a blog post.

In addition, all users who have Safari set as their default browser will see an updated choice screen with other browser options. It will feature more information about their browsers and the performance of the choice screen.

DMA, which came into force in November 2022, forced Apple to implement several changes, including allowing the use of alternative app marketplaces.