It’s been a month and a half since Apple released iOS 17.4, a version with historical changes of the iPhone operating system, although partially. This was an update with the majority of changes only affecting Europe due to the Digital Markets Act, also known by its acronym in English, DMA.
This new law aims to end the digital monopolies of large technology companies and as far as Apple is concerned, He proposes three fundamental changes: App Store, browsers and NFC chip. We have divided it into four blocks to differentiate Safari from the rest of the browsers and the idea is to explain what changes if you have already updated to this version, to iOS 17.4.1 released later or even to the version iOS 17.5 beta.
App Store: what changes with the DMA in Europe
For years, the App Store has been in the eye of the storm due to its commissions to developers and the fact that it is the only way to install applications on an iPhone. With DMA this changes and Apple now allows sideloading on iOS. Or something similar, because it might not be as easy as installing APK on Android, but it is something similar.
On the one hand, there will be alternative stores within the App Store itself or via the web. The first example was the AltStore and there are more confirmed and, although they have been eagerly awaited for weeks, they will still take a few months to arrive. These won’t work if you leave the EU, but they will work inside and can be downloaded like a normal app and then used to download apps that aren’t standard in the official Apple store.
On another side, They can also be downloaded via the web. It was an unexpected announcement that will actually be applied from iOS 17.5 and with a series of conditions that mean that no application can be downloaded from there. In any case, it will ultimately be another alternative installation method to the classic official store.
Safari: no longer a choice imposed by Apple
There was a time when Microsoft mandated Internet Explorer as the default browser for Windows PCs, until they got a call from their superiors and had to end what they saw as a monopoly. The same thing happened with Safari, which has been the default browser on iPhones for years.
It has been possible for some time to change the default browser on iOS, but it is something the user must do manually and consciously. From iOS 17.4 An interface is introduced in which you need to choose a default browser. It appears as soon as you open Safari after updating to iOS 17.4 or later, as well as when you just set up your iPhone for the first time.
On this screen several options appear outside of Safari. Google Chrome, Opera, Mozilla Firefox, DuckDuck Go and more. They appear in random order so that there is no conflict with this one either. If the user wants, he can choose Safari and continue everything as before, but he also has the option to choose another one, download it at that specific moment and set it as default.
Browsers in general: welcome your own engines
Beyond Safari, other browsers have also changed with iOS 17.4. Or rather, they can change, since they are always the same for the moment. The fact is that until now, any browser that wanted to be displayed in the App Store and be functional on iOS had to be installed with WebKit, Apple’s development package.
Although until now browsers could be different in some interface elements, they eventually ended up being more or less the same because of (or thanks to) WebKit. Essentially, it’s like they’re all Safari, but with a different look. This is positive in terms of optimization or security, but also problematic in terms of development and implementation of new options by the developers.
With the DMA, Apple was forced to allow everyone to use their own engine and it is with this that real differences begin to exist with Safari. It’s unclear where everyone stands, but Google’s strong push to make Chrome the iPhone’s default browser suggests they’ll be among the first to launch their own engine.
This, yes, Those who configure their browser will have a warning: webapps. Also known as Progressive Web Applications or PWAs, these are slightly more advanced versions of pages that are comparable to an app, since they can even be added to the home screen and run in a new window even if in the end, it is still the browser. . However, they ultimately won’t be available with other browser engines, although they will be available with Safari (although it initially looked like they would be removed there as well).
NFC: opening to other means of payment and more
Finally, we find the opening of the iPhone’s NFC chip. It is found in all iPhones since the iPhone 6 and until now it has been very limited to the use that Apple wanted to make of it, which is none other than to make payments with its own platform, Apple Pay.
Since iOS 17.4, the season is open for Any other platform can use the NFC of an iPhone for other uses which, in any case, must be certified by Apple in the sense that they are safe and do not negatively affect performance. Google Pay, Samsung Pay or bank applications can already use it, even if for the moment none have announced their arrival on iOS.
On another side, It is also essential for digital transport cards. In several European cities and regions, they are already thinking about the possibility of fully integrating their maps in this format into iPhone mobiles.
There could still be changes and not just for Europe
The European Union is not satisfied with the changes applied by Apple and They have already opened an investigation which will last a year and could lead to severe sanctions. (from 10% to 10% of the company’s annual turnover). This also follows complaints from Spotify and other companies, which signed a letter sent to the European Commission alleging that the changes introduced with iOS 17.4 still do not comply with the new legislative framework.
This does not necessarily mean that the blood will eventually reach the river. In fact, Apple has already won some battles against Europe, such as iMessage. However, one cannot predict otherwise, as they had to backtrack with web apps after launching another investigation.
Indeed, from the highest European institution They are already abandoning possible new impositions like photo sync. Therefore, what we see in iOS 17.4 might even be little compared to what will happen in the coming months.
There’s something clear about all this: iOS is changing, even if Apple doesn’t like it
On another side, The United States also wants something similar. We don’t know how far they will go, but they have already sued Apple for alleged monopolistic practices and so that they implement measures similar to those of the old continent. In this case, it is different when it comes to making claims directly and to a specific company, since, remember, in Europe it is a law that applies to all companies.
Either way, turbulent months and even years lie ahead. For the best or for the worst, iOS changes. Your iPhone may not change if you don’t want it to, but the possibilities certainly increase dramatically. Even if this is due to legal imposition.
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