Android phones in the EEA (European Economic Area) will now display a choice of default browser options upon set up (via Trusted Reviews).
Previously, you could change the default provider in the settings of an Android phone but now the Google-made OS will give you the option of its own Chrome browser alongside other options when new devices are set up. It comes after an EU ruling in 2018 that said Google should give users more clear notice that they do not have to use Chrome.
The feature is known as the Android choice screen.
But it is slightly controversial that in order to get other options on the list, companies had to bid in an auction to be included on a country by country basis. DuckDuckGo appears on the list for every country, but other regions will differ.
You can check out the full list of countries and options here. Google says, “The auction winners, and Google, will be ordered randomly in the choice screen on a per device basis.”
The change comes after rumours that Apple will finally allow iOS users to change the default applications for email and web browser when opening links. Android operates slightly differently to iOS, but it is notable that Apple still hasn’t even allowed for default changes in settings yet.
Android however has been changed via a court ruling as it is the most popular mobile OS worldwide and in Europe by some margin, meaning Google was – as it often does – gaining an unfair advantage over its competitors.
Author: Henry Burrell, Phones Editor
Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.