Google actually has some experience implementing a choice screen to appease European regulators. When forced to add a default search engine switcher to Android in 2019, many developers behind alternative options initially criticized the design and denounced Google’s practice of selling slot machines on the screen through auctions. The company responded by rolling out an updated pop-up without slot auctions in 2021. Google did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story.
The slow implementation of European regulations means that changes imposed by legislators only come after a long process. “Google had implicit permission to implement the wrong version and run out of time. In doing so, it makes the whole remedy of a screen of choice look bad,” says Kamyl Bazbaz, vice president of public affairs at DuckDuckGo. “If you can only judge the effectiveness of something based on a bad version, you’re going to think it sucks.”
A few representatives from smaller browser companies also expressed that they wanted more information included in Apple’s choice process, such as definitions of what a browser is for less tech-savvy users and descriptions specialties of different browsers. “Giving people information about their choice, as well as what they choose, is really, really important,” says Kush Amlani, global competition and regulatory advisor at Mozilla, which makes the Firefox browser.
Sophie Dembinski, head of public policy and climate action at Ecosia, explained how Apple’s pop-up appears for all iPhone users, even if they have already gone to their phone’s settings and set a browser alternative by default. In comparison, Google’s browser choice screen for Android users will not appear if you have already followed the steps to set a preference for a third-party option.
Although many developers are unhappy with Apple’s implementation, not all companies with a browser on the screen of choice have expressed their frustration. “We believe Apple’s approach to presenting the browser choice screen is fair and acceptable,” says Andrew Moroz Frost, founder of Aloha Browser. He pointed to the random order of browsers displayed on the pop-up window as an example of how Apple designed it fairly.
Richard Socher, founder and CEO of You.com, seemed more encouraged by the existence of a browser choice screen including search-focused startup rather than frustrated by Apple’s implementation. “I think it’s great that there isn’t a pre-selected default,” he says. Socher also pointed to the random order as a positive sign.
