Apple is preparing to give iPhone users the option to remove pre-installed apps such as Photos, App Store, Phone app, etc. These apps cover essential functions such as web browsing, photo taking, image management, app distribution, communication, messaging, etc. and have traditionally been fundamental building blocks of the iPhone ecosystem. But what happens if a non-technical user removes Photos, Messages, and App Store from their iPhone?
Austin Carr, Bloomberg News:
The change is part of Apple's efforts to comply with recent EU regulations aimed at increasing competition for developers and choice for users, but it could lead to a flood of anxious calls from technophobic parents who accidentally deleted the Photos app and don't know how to access their grandkids' precious photos.
Historically, it has made sense for platform manufacturers to restrict which services can and cannot be removed from their operating systems. Ever since personal computers became mainstream, some applications have been deemed so important that removing them would only ruin the user experience. For example, consider the inability to remove the trash or recycle bin on a Mac or Windows PC.
But in the smartphone era, these pre-installed defaults have expanded into an entire set of service categories, blurring the line between basic OS functionality and the convenience features that come built into your iPhone.
The bigger question is whether Apple is going too far in forcing users to delete default apps. Sure, a significant portion of EU consumers will want (and know how to) delete Apple's native Camera and Phone apps and set Instagram as the default selfie app and WhatsApp as the default calling service. But it seems likely that a significant number of users will inadvertently delete apps for which they have no alternative. What if they try to save photos without installing Apple's Photo app or a third-party alternative? And for that matter, how will they download these apps once they've deleted the App Store?
MacDailyNews opinion: Is the EU going to foot the bill for the upcoming massive increase in support calls from iPhone users in the EU? Of course not.
The 9 most terrifying phrases in the English language are “I'm from the government. I'm here to help.” – Ronald Reagan
However, as I wrote in December 2022:
Those who want safety, security, and privacy will continue to use Apple's App Store, but a single point of control is always risky, especially when it comes to capricious censorship (see Twitter pre-Musk, Apple's App Store in China, etc.).
iPhone and iPad users, just like Mac users, should have the ability to install third-party apps. Even if they don't, it keeps Apple honest. If an app is easily available in another app store, the ability to ban it is completely lost.
reference:
• Apple removes Threads, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal from China App Store on orders of the Chinese Communist Party – April 19, 2024
• Apple removes Pray.com app from Chinese App Store – February 22, 2024
• Apple removes dozens of generative AI apps from China's App Store ahead of CCP crackdown on free speech – August 2, 2023
• Apple removes Parler from the App Store – January 9, 2021
• Apple removes pandemic simulation game “Plague Inc.” from China's App Store – February 27, 2020
• Apple removes 25,000 apps from China App Store after criticism from state media – August 19, 2018
• Apple removes New York Times app from China App Store at request of Chinese government – January 4, 2017
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