Although the Digital Markets Act (DMA) entered the scene on May 2, 2023, large technology companies classified as “gatekeepers” had until last March 6, 2024 to make the necessary adjustments to comply with new European Union (EU) legislation. After the aforementioned deadline, users began to detect some changes in the platforms we use daily.
On our phone, for example, the system has asked us which default browser we want to use. This choice screen came to the iPhone with iOS 17.4 and has begun its rollout on the most recent Android devices. This is precisely a requirement of the DMA that seeks to address the dominance of large platforms and offer users a range of alternatives.
Small browsers are growing behind the election screen
Before DMA-driven change, change default browser It wasn't that simple. On iOS we had to go to Settings > Safari > Default browser app. And on Android a Settings > Applications > Default apps. The new choice screen, it seems, is causing many little-known alternative browsers to receive a wave of new users.
According to Reuters, the most notable growth has been recorded by Aloha Browser. This application says that its downloads have grown by 250% since the DMA came into force. Now, this privacy-focused proposal claims to have 10 million active users around the world. However, since it does not collect location data, it cannot precisely specify where its users are located.
iOS default browser selection screen
Opera, which has maintained a small but vital market share for years, grew by 63% between February and March of this year. TechCrunch notes that iOS users who select the browser as default grew by 39% between March 3 to April 4. Vivaldi, for its part, recorded a 36.7% increase in downloads within the EU since the DMA came into force.
Brave, a “private” browser with AI features, says daily installs on iOS went from 7,500 to 11,000 since the new browser choice screen came on the scene. The company says it has also recorded a peak of 14,000 daily installations. Comparing these figures to those before the DMA, Brave says they have almost doubled.
Images | Aloha Browser | José A. Lizana (Applesfera)
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