Apple has proposed making third-party apps more prominent on the iPhone and iPad and opening its HomePod smart speaker to competing music services like Spotify.

According to Bloomberg, the tech giant may allow mobile users to assign third-party apps as defaults, in response to Apple's automatic preference for Safari and Mail.

This practice has raised red flags among lawmakers investigating antitrust violations by technology giants.

For example, clicking on a website link sent via iMessage will open in Safari by default, even if the device has Chrome or FireFox installed; the same goes for email: tapping on a contact's address will, by choice, You are redirected to the Apple Mail app.

Apple's HomePod supports only Apple Music as its native streaming provider; according to Bloomberg, HomePod could also be opened up to third-party music services like Spotify and Amazon Music. Bloomberg said that HomePod could be open to third-party music services such as Spotify and Amazon Music.

Given that HomePod is trailing behind rival Amazon Echo speakers, greater flexibility may boost HomePod.

Bloomberg says there is no guarantee that these proposals will come to fruition. However, if Apple chooses to remove restrictions on third-party apps, we may see changes as early as the iOS 14 software update.