In at least one case, the number of installations increased by a third.
Starting in March 2024, EU iPhone and iPad users were prompted to choose a default browser; Previously, only Apple's Safari was such a browser. The removal of restrictions led to an increase in the number of installations of other browsers.
The developers of the Brave, Firefox and Vivaldi browsers talk about the increase in the number of installations. For example, in the case of the Brave browser, the number of installations increased by more than a third immediately after restrictions were lifted.
At the same time, the head of the browser developer Vivaldi, in a conversation with The Register, notes that the growth in the number of installations was “modest.” Specific numbers are not mentioned.
Apple allowed choosing a default browser as part of the implementation of the DMA law adopted in the European Union. It covers 6 major companies and regulates some of their platforms.
For example, Google has introduced the ability to select a default search engine and default browser on Android smartphones and tablets to enforce the DMA law. No growth in the number of installations of other browsers on Android has yet been reported.
The Russian Ministry of Digital Development hopes to adopt a similar law. The law is expected to oblige Apple to allow iPhone and iPad users in Russia to install alternative app stores.
This is interesting