iOS 10 Lets you Delete Bundled Apps You Don't Want

My iPhone has a folder called Rura Penthe where all the built in apps I never use are exiled. When iOS 10 ships that's going to be a very lonely place because we'll finally be able to delete those pre-installed apps we never use, like Stocks, News, and Tips.

When iOS 10 ships my exiled apps folder will be nearly emptyWhen iOS 10 ships my exiled apps folder will be nearly empty

Apple showed off iOS 10 during its Worldwide Developer Conference keynote event earlier on Monday where features like Siri access for third-party developers and new lock screen notifications got some screen time. The ability to delete bundled apps we don't use, however, was left out from the features highlights even though it's reason enough all on its own for some of us to upgrade.

Here's the list of apps that can get the ax once you're running iOS 10:

  • Calculator
  • Calendar
  • Compass
  • Contacts (iPhone only)
  • FaceTime
  • Find My Friends
  • Home
  • iBooks
  • iCloud Drive
  • iTunes Store
  • Mail
  • Maps
  • Music
  • News
  • Notes
  • Podcasts
  • Reminders
  • Stocks
  • Tips
  • Videos
  • Voice Memos
  • Watch app
  • Weather

When you delete the pre-installed apps the data that goes along with them will get wiped, too. The exception is the Contacts app because its data is still accessible through the Phone app. If you decide you need to get an app back, just pay a visit to the App Store and re-download it.

Giving us the ability to ditch the apps we don't use is great, not because it'll save a little bit of storage space, but because it'll help unclutter our screens. It also means Apple can update its own apps individually instead of forcing users to wait for system updates for bug fixes and other improvements. The change also means Apple is finally opening up to the idea that its users may want to use Spark or some other email app instead of Mail.

Sadly, Game Center isn't on the list of removable apps. Maybe that's a feature Apple is holding back for iOS 11.