Browser companies criticize Apple’s EU Choice screen in iOS 17.4

Several third-party browser companies have seen a surge in iPhone installs since Apple made major changes to iOS to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, but many are unhappy with the Apple’s implementation of its default browser choice screen.

In iOS 17.4, released last month, Apple no longer limits EU users to the handful of browser options that iOS currently offers as alternatives in other parts of the world. Instead, EU users who open Safari for the first time are presented with a choice screen that allows them to opt for a new default browser from a list of alternatives popular in their country.

This change has led to a sharp increase in the use of third-party browsers, according to several reports. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that the number of users of the privacy-focused Aloha browser jumped 250% in March. The increase in users occurred largely in France, Belgium (3x growth), Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden (2.5x growth), as well as Denmark , in Italy and Poland (2x growth).