Apple has released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 betas, bringing new options for default apps to users worldwide and in the European Union.
The new software versions now let all users globally choose a default translation app other than Apple’s built-in Translate. This means people can set apps like Google Translate, Microsoft Translator, iTranslate Translator, or DeepL as their main translation service. The chosen app will be used for system-wide translation functions, including translations in Safari and Siri.
For users in the European Union, the update also adds the ability to set a default navigation app. EU iPhone owners can now select alternatives such as Google Maps or Waze as their primary navigation service instead of Apple Maps. When an address is tapped, or a navigation request is made, the selected default app will open automatically.
To change these default apps, users can go to Settings, then Apps, and Default Apps. From there, they can select either Translation or Navigation (if in the EU) and choose their preferred app.
As always, the impact of these changes will depend on how many users choose to switch from Apple’s default apps to third-party alternatives. It will be interesting to see how this affects the app ecosystem and user behavior in the coming months.
More here.