Major New iPhone Update Means Calls And iMessage Will Never Be The Same Again
While it's only for the EU for now, you can be sure governments around the world, including the U.S., will be watching closely to decide if they should implement something similar.
The new software, which is currently in developer beta, comes as a response to the EU's Digital Markets Act, designed to promote competition and open digital markets.
Apple has introduced APIs so that developers can implement support for cellular phone calls and messaging.
It means that iPhone users in the EU will be able to select a suitable third-party app as the default for calls and messages. While some apps already have capabilities to make calls and send messages, this update will be transformational.
For example, WhatsApp —which is much more popular in the EU than the U.S. — could be chosen as the default for both, assuming it implements the APIs. If it does, WhatsApp is likely to be by far the biggest winner for this change.
It will mean that if you click on a phone number in an email, say, the iPhone will automatically dial the call in your chosen app. Similarly, when you start a text message, that third-party app will handle it, not Messages.
As MacRumors points out, 'Apple says iPhone users in the EU will only be able to make carrier-based phone calls and/or send and receive carrier-based SMS/MMS/RCS messages in a supported third-party app when they have selected the app as their default dialing app and/or default carrier messaging app. Otherwise, the functionality is not enabled,' it says.
In other words, the app needs to be able to handle calls through the carrier networks, not just through wi-fi.
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