Apple has announced that its WebKit browser engine will be replaced by alternative engines in its upcoming iOS 17.4 update, but only for European Union users.

Apple is making changes in order to comply with the new regulations set by the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The regulations are aimed at increasing competition and giving consumers more choices in the technology sector. One important rule in the DMA is that dominant platforms like iOS cannot force users to use only the company’s own services and products.

Since the iOS App Store launched over a decade ago, Apple has restricted all browsers to utilizing its own browser engine, WebKit, which also powers its pre-installed Safari browser. Under the new iOS 17.4, developers can now integrate alternative browser engines like Google’s Chromium or Mozilla’s Gecko into their browser apps, potentially bringing full compatibility and feature parity with the desktop versions of Chrome, Firefox and others.

Apple stated that developers looking to switch to non-WebKit engines will need to apply for special authorization and commit to certain privacy, security and responsibility guidelines. Once approved, their browser apps will gain access to system resources like multiprocessing support.

In addition to approving third-party browsers, iOS 17.4 will also prompt users in Europe to choose their preferred default browser upon first launching Safari. Options will include sticking with Safari or switching to an installed third-party option.

The changes represent a rare instance of Apple openly admitting that its restrictive “walled garden” approach on iOS needs revising to better serve consumers.

However, the company made sure to criticize the new requirements, stating in its announcement that “this change is a result of the DMA’s requirements, and means that EU users will be confronted with a list of default browsers before they have the opportunity to understand the options available to them.”

It also warned that alternative browser engines could present security, privacy and performance risks compared to the finely tuned WebKit option.

In no uncertain terms, Apple is only opening iOS up due to regulatory pressure, not a change of heart. For now, the alternative browser support will only apply to users registered with an EU-based Apple ID account. Those traveling to Europe can use installed third-party iOS browsers temporarily. Everywhere else, the WebKit limitation remains firmly in place on iPhones and iPads.

Nonetheless, the move is likely to kickstart a robust browser competition within iOS for the first time. With Chrome, Firefox, Edge and others on the way, European users will finally enjoy full-featured browser options tailored to mobile use. Expect to see these updated, non-WebKit browser apps hit the App Store in March alongside the iOS 17.4 launch.

For Apple, it’s the end of an era – and the beginning of a new, slightly more open chapter focused on its fastest growing user base. Regulators finally forced the company’s hand in giving consumers the freedoms they deserve.