Since Apple implemented a browser selection screen in iOS, user numbers for Mozilla, Vivaldi and Brave have skyrocketed. The DMA doesn’t seem to be missing its target.

The browser selection menu is one of the new adjustments Apple made in iOS 17.4: a mandatory nod to the Digital Markets Act, which went into effect on March 7th. iOS users can now freely choose which browser they want to use instead of opening Safari by default. The rule was intended to give browsers with a smaller market share a greater chance in the iOS ecosystem, and based on Brave’s numbers, this appears to be working well.

Since the launch of iOS 17, the number of Brave browser users has increased from 8,000 to 11,000. “Why have Apple and Google made it difficult to change the default browser for so long? Because it is an effective way to block competitors. “Just look at what happened to Brave installation on iPhone in the EU when Apple introduced a new default browser selection screen on March 6,” says Brave on X. The attached graphic speaks volumes.

Mozilla, owner of the Firefox browser, and Vivaldi also reported to The Register that the number of users has increased since Apple offered more freedom of choice, although the latter is not yet talking about a shock effect. The browsers continue to use the WebKit engine for now. In principle, browsers are allowed to bring their own engines to iOS under the DMA, but Mozilla had previously stated that it must maintain two browsers on iOS.

What about Google?

Although experts were initially skeptical about the impact of the DMA, early numbers appear to show that the legislation can provide a boost to smaller market participants. Sometimes it doesn’t have to be more difficult than simply showing users all the options they have. Google is also not above the DMA law. Google needs to show Android and Chrome users a selection menu not only for browsers, but also for search engines.