This little tid-bit did not get any screen time at the Apple WWDC keynote (we wonder why), but Apple lists it in the feature slide for iOS 14 and, oh my god, you can now set a default browser different than Safari and a default mail app that is not made by Apple.
For years, this has been one of the main complaints against iOS: how it's a walled garden that doesn't quite give many third-party apps the same amount of privilege as many Apple-made apps get, and this changes with iOS 14.
While this opens way to many third-party apps, it really is a huge opportunity for main rival Google: you can now have Chrome be the default browser and Gmail be your default email client on an iPhone.
Recommended For You
At the same time, this is not quite fully opening the ecosystem: you will still NOT be able to set different default apps for Camera, Maps and Music. So, sorry, you still can't have Spotify replace the Apple Music application and Google Maps for your mapping services. Maybe next year. If it happens, we'd bet it would be in the small print of another slide.
Get Visible as low as $20/mo for 1 year. Limited time offer with code: FRESHSTART
$20
/mo
$25
$5 off (20%)
Offer Ends 6.1.2026 at 11.59pm ET. New members get $5/mo off the $25/mg Visible plan, $35/mo Visible+ plan, or $45/mo Visible+ Pro plan for the first 12 months. Promo code FRESHSTART required at checkout.
Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: