With iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, users will be able to choose their default email and browser apps. This marks a major change from Apple’s previous approach and should make it much easier in the future for users to customize their iPhone or iPad experience to better match their individual needs.
While users can download many apps on their phone, that’s not to say all the apps installed on a device or treated totally equal. In Apple’s case, links that are designed to redirect to an email or browser tend to result in the system pushing the user towards the Apple Mail and Safari apps. While convenient for all of those who use these two Apple services with their iPhone, for those who primarily use a third-party email or browser app, it can be an annoying design tweak. That is, unless the user has the option to designate what email and/or browser app they want to be redirected to when using their iPhone or iPad.
While Apple made a number of clear announcements at its WWDC event, this one was not specifically referenced on its own. Instead, the confirmation of the new support was first visible in a roundup image which showed the ability to set default options for email and browser links. Since then, Apple's iOS 14 preview pages have also been updated and further confirm the inclusion of the feature. In spite of the relatively low-key announcement (compared to the others made by Apple), this is likely to result in a major improvement to the iPhone and iPad mail and browser experience.
Apple Quiet On Default Mail & Browser Details
Beyond the subtle announcement, Apple has not provided any firm or detailed information on this particularly change. While the company did outline iOS 14 changes in general, including the new App Clips, as well as specific updates and upgrades for iPadOS 14, neither announcement touched on the default mail and browser change directly. As a result, finer information on what the change will bring, or its limitations, are still not known. This includes which third-party apps are supported and whether the feature extends beyond just email and browser apps. Regardless, the end result is that users will be able to tell the operating system which mail and browser app they want to use as default, and be redirected to those apps when clicking a link.
Besides being beneficial to iPhone and iPad users, this change is possibly the result of Apple having to make certain compromises to offer more of a level-playing field, rather than simply responding to user demand. Over the past couple of years, both Apple and Google have come under criticism for what’s perceived as a monopolistic approach to their ecosystems and app stores. As a result, both have had to make some changes, and are still, with Apple’s default email and browser app change likely a part of that wider initiative to offer users more control, instead of choosing which Apple services and apps iPhone and iPad prioritize.
Source: Apple