Introverts rejoice! At the EU's insistence, you'll soon be able to delete the Messages app from your iPhone in iOS 18

News
By
published

More changes coming to iPhone in the EU.

iOS 16 lock screen
(Image credit: Penfer / Unsplash)

Apple has today announced that it is making more tweaks to the default app experience on iPhone as a result of the Digital Markets Act, a move that will only affect users in the EU. 

Earlier this year, Apple introduced several measures to comply with the EU's strict software regulations, including introducing a new browser choice screen that lets users pick a default browser other than Safari the first time they open web browsing on an iPhone.

Today, Apple has announced it's rolling out more changes to that system later this year, along with a new default apps section in the Settings of iOS 18. More notably, it's going to let users delete key apps vital to the iPhone user experience at the EU's insistence, including the camera app and Messages. 

More EU iPhone changes

Apple says it has tweaked the new browser choice screen, adding more controls so that users can select a default browser from the choice screen. Users will also have to scroll through all the options before they make their decision, and the app will begin downloading right away. What's more, it'll be placed on the dock of your iPhone's Home Screen so you can find it. 

Within the default section of Settings, users will be able to select options for their web browser, mail, app marketplace, contactless payments, messaging, password managers. Next year, Apple will also add navigation apps and translation. 

You can already delete some apps that ship with your iPhone, but Apple is adding several key core apps to this too. Later this year, as part of iOS 18 in the EU, you'll be able to delete the App Store, Messages, Camera, Photos, and Safari. If you want to re-download them, you'll be able to do so from the App Store. Why you'd want to do that is anyone's guess, but you can bet your bottom dollar you'll start getting tech support calls from family and friends who've done this accidentally as soon as the change rolls out. The only apps you won't be able to delete are the Settings app and the Phone app. 

It's all part of the EU's plan to impose "competition" on iOS, with users pushed harder than ever to adopt alternatives like WhatsApp, Google Chrome, and other alternatives. 

Apple says it believes that these changes will satisfy the EU's ongoing enforcement of the DMA, hinting that it isn't currently fully satisfied. Apple didn't give a specific timeframe for the changes but says they'll be available as part of iOS 18 later this year. Lots of these changes, including deleting apps, default browser screen tweaks, and default app controls are also coming to iPadOS.

Stephen Warwick
Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9

3 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Just_Me_D
    What will the EU do next if it turns out that despite the changes, iPhone user continues using the Messages app, Safari and others?

    There have been available 3rd-party apps available to user in almost every category. People like me will try some of them and then end up realizing that the native version was more than enough.

    Will our choices be a knock against Apple and cause the EU and others to call it anti-competitive?

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t WhatsApp considered the most used or one of the most used messaging apps outside the U.S.?

    What about people who want to have both Messages and WhatsApp? Are you going to force them to only choose WhatsApp?
    Reply
  • EdwinG
    Just_Me_D said:
    What about people who want to have both Messages and WhatsApp? Are you going to force them to only choose WhatsApp?
    The answer is simple. This allows a user to have one of the two, and have e.g. Signal handle your phone calls. It does not require removing an app in favour of another.
    Reply
  • Just_Me_D
    EdwinG said:
    The answer is simple. This allows a user to have one of the two, and have e.g. Signal handle your phone calls. It does not require removing an app in favour of another.

    Apple builds a smart device that’s both a phone and an audio player and named it ‘iPhone’.
    The iPhone became the most sought after smart device and it is still the most sought after, in my opinion.

    The device is so successful that app developers were willing to deal with the large cut Apple demanded.

    I’ve said this many times over the years and I will say it again. As soon as Apple became a Trillion dollar company, I said the vultures would be circling to get a piece of them.

    In regard to its Messages app, you can’t say having the blue color is akin to Microsoft making Internet Explore the default browser which caused the use of other browsers to allegedly be severely diminished.

    Owning a PC during that time was still somewhat new and people were hesitant and a little intimidated by them.

    Today, a smartphone is like a glass of water. It’s everywhere, and parents will hand their 18 month old child their iPhone and allow them to touch and swipe the screen. It some circles, it’s not uncommon to see someone in elementary school with an iPhone.

    Reports of ‘bullying’ because someone’s device couldn’t send or receive iMessages. Remember that? I didn’t buy it then and I’m not buying it now because kids will try every app in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store to find the communications app where they can communicate freely with their friends, and possibly away from the prying eyes of their parents.

    So what is the EU’s end game? What is being gained by them and is the gain long term?
    Reply