After Firefox and Brave, Opera reports an uptick in browser installs post Apple's DMA compliance
The numbers are increasing daily
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Ever since Apple started letting users choose the default browser on iOS devices in compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), third-party browsers have witnessed a significant increase in downloads.
Last week, Brave confirmed registering a 37.5% increase in installs. Soon after, Firefox reported a surge in user base.
As expected, the Opera browser is the next in line to show a similar trend. In an official press release, Opera claims to have secured a 164% increase in user base between March 5 and March 7, as Apple showed the Choose Your Default Browser prompt.
Reacting to the developments, EVP Mobile at Opera, Jorgen Arnesen, said,
The day the ballot screen started to appear, we saw a spike in the growth of our daily active users, especially for Opera for iOS. We see this as indicative of two things: for one, the importance of regulation to provide a more level playing field, and for another, that users are hungry for new and innovative products that can deliver a superior online experience
In almost all regions across the EU, Opera witnessed a massive surge in downloads. It was 402% in France, 143% in Spain, 56% in Germany, and 68% in Poland.
The increase was significantly higher for iOS than for Android because the latter always allowed changing the default browser.
What surprised many was Apple recommending Microsoft Edge as the default browser, especially at a time when the fight over EU rules was becoming murkier. It appears that Apple’s recommendations were based on App Store reviews.
Earlier, Microsoft, too, complied with DMA. Subsequently, it allowed users in the EU to uninstall Edge and Bing web search through the native Windows settings.
Remember, an increase in installs doesn’t necessarily indicate that users will permanently switch to other browsers from Safari. Many may have just installed other browsers out of curiosity and might soon uninstall them. We will have to wait another few weeks to get a clear picture!
Which browser do you think would be the best choice for iOS after the enforcement of DMA? Share with our readers in the comments section.
