Defaults can be powerful, but we have the numbers. Edge is the default Windows desktop browser and has 8-10% of the market. Apparently defaults are not more powerful than shipping a shitty product.
But the defaults on the PC and on the mobile are not the same. I can recall that Samsung Android phones shipped with preinstalled Samsung browser and actually a lot of people used Samsung's browser because they just wanted working internet browser.
Tbh I can't recall if at the time Google Chrome was also preinstalled or just "Google" app. But I can say that it wasn't very clear which browser is the default one in which situation. For example when you open a link inside some third party app sometimes it would hook Samsung browser and sometimes Google Chrome. Sometimes Android pop-up would ask me, use Samsung browser/Google Chrome "Just once" or "Always" and if you pick "Always", how do you change it afterwards? Easy solution would be if you prefer one browser over another just uninstall the one you don't like but if it was preinstalled or whatever, it kept coming back.
Eh, in 2023 it feels like most peoples experience with Windows is less “Personal” Computer and more “Appliance work sent me”. I’m pretty sure a lot of that is set by IT.
Tbh I can't recall if at the time Google Chrome was also preinstalled or just "Google" app. But I can say that it wasn't very clear which browser is the default one in which situation. For example when you open a link inside some third party app sometimes it would hook Samsung browser and sometimes Google Chrome. Sometimes Android pop-up would ask me, use Samsung browser/Google Chrome "Just once" or "Always" and if you pick "Always", how do you change it afterwards? Easy solution would be if you prefer one browser over another just uninstall the one you don't like but if it was preinstalled or whatever, it kept coming back.