The Digital Markets Act (DMA) has made the Android “choice screen” a standard part of device setup across the European Economic Area. In practice, this means new Android phones and tablets distributed in the EEA must display search and (in most cases) browser choice screens during onboarding, forcing a user to actively pick their defaults. Google confirms that OEMs are required to incorporate the DMA choice-screen software into all new device releases in the EEA as of March 6, 2024; Pixels received it via update, with ongoing rollout across OEMs.

What exactly changed

• Two screens at setup: users select a default search engine and a default browser; scrolling through the full list and making a selection are required (no skip). Options are randomized and based on eligibility rules.
• Scope & exceptions: the browser screen appears on new EEA devices where Chrome is the default under Google’s OEM agreements; devices shipping with a different default browser (e.g., some Samsung models) may not show a browser screen. The search screen appears when the Google Search app and search box are preinstalled.
• Measurement hooks: Google provides reporting signals: Play Install Referrer with utm_source=eea-search-choice/eea-browser-choice, plus quarterly selection reports to providers. 
• Regulatory backdrop: the DMA (Article 6(3)) aims to curb default-based self-preferencing by requiring easy switching and neutral choice screens on gatekeeper OSes.

Why this matters for UA (beyond compliance)

1. Default fragmentation changes traffic mix. A user’s first search and first link-open after setup now depend on their choice, not the factory default. Expect non-Google search and non-Chrome browser flows to rise in some EEA countries — Mozilla reports real DAU gains from choice screens. Your SEM, SEO and deep-link assumptions should reflect this.
2. OEM surfaces gain strategic weight. Because screens trigger during device setup, on-device marketing (preloads, setup-wizard placements, OEM stores) sits closest to the moment users make default decisions, raising the value of OEM traffic for early share-of-voice on new devices.
3. Attribution gets cleaner—if you wire it. Capture Install Referrer keys and separate “choice-originated” cohorts in your MMP to compare CPI, D1/D7 retention and payback against other on-device/paid channels. 
4. Country-by-country planning. The list of engines/browsers is randomized and localized; plan bids, store assets and onboarding flows by EEA country, not just region.
   

A practical playbook for Q4 2025

• Tag the origin. Add “choice screen” as a distinct source in your MMP with sub-labels (Search, Browser). Ingest eea-search-choice / eea-browser-choice referrers to build value-density (D0–D7) dashboards for these cohorts.
• Re-balance SEM & store strategy. In EEA markets where alternative engines trend up, test engine-specific ad products and adjust store listing copy to the browser/search defaults your users pick most. 
• Lean into OEM placements. Sequence preloads → setup-wizard → OEM store featuring for devices shipping into the EEA; these touchpoints flank the choice screens and can lift early activation and search intent.
• Creative & onboarding fit. Assume users may land via non-Chrome browsers or non-Google search. Audit your deep links, fallback routing, and first-run copy to avoid friction when defaults aren’t Google.
• Country tests over aggregates. Because the EEA list is randomized and refreshed, run country-level holdouts and monitor quarterly provider-selection reports to spot shifts early.
  

The DMA choice screen isn’t just a legal checkbox it reshapes first-touch distribution on Android in the EEA. Treat “choice-originated” users as a separate storefront in your UA plan: tag them, benchmark them, and bid to intercept them with OEM and on-device media close to setup. Teams that adapt their measurement and OEM mix now will capture the most predictable CAC and faster payback from Europe’s next Android cohorts.