Overview
- After first installing iOS 26.2 in Japan, iPhone users are prompted during setup to choose their preferred search provider.
- The selection list includes Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo Japan, and Ecosia.
- The update also introduces support for installing alternative app marketplaces in Japan to comply with the Mobile Software Competition Act.
- Outside Japan, iPhones continue to default to Google, and changing the search engine remains a manual setting in Safari.
- A public release is expected around December 18 to coincide with the new rules, and court filings show Google pays Apple about $20 billion annually to be the default search provider.