Apple and Google's Mobile 'Duopoly' Targeted by UK Regulators

Britain's competition regulator has today outlined sweeping proposals that could force Apple to fundamentally alter how it operates its App Store, Safari browser, and iOS ecosystem in the UK.

app store blue banner uk fixed
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published a detailed roadmap of potential interventions after proposing to designate both Apple and Google with "strategic market status" under new digital competition laws. The designation would give the CMA unprecedented powers to impose binding requirements on how Apple runs its mobile platform.

The CMA's immediate priorities include forcing Apple to allow app developers to "steer" users away from the App Store to complete purchases elsewhere, which would potentially undercut Apple's lucrative 30% commission model. The regulator also wants to require fairer, more transparent app review processes and prevent Apple from using data collected during app reviews to benefit its own services.

The CMA's most ambitious long-term goal involves breaking Apple's tight control over iOS by allowing alternative browser engines beyond WebKit and enabling better interoperability for digital wallets and connected devices like smartwatches.

"Apple and Google's mobile platforms hold an effective duopoly," said CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell, noting that 90-100% of UK mobile devices run on these platforms. The regulator estimates the UK app economy generates 1.5% of GDP and supports around 400,000 jobs.

Ultimately, the CMA believes that successful implementation could mean access to innovative digital wallets beyond Apple Pay, more capable third-party browsers, and potentially lower app prices as developers gain alternatives to Apple's payment systems.

Apple has already pushed back against the proposals, warning that they "would undermine the privacy and security protections that our users have come to expect, hamper our ability to innovate, and force us to give away our technology for free to foreign competitors."

The roadmap draws heavily on enforcement actions already underway in the EU and other jurisdictions. In the US, for example, a court recently forced Apple to allow app developers to include external payment links, leading companies like Spotify and Proton to announce price cuts of up to 30% for American users.

The CMA's phased approach aims to begin with app store reforms later this year, followed by more complex interventions around browser engines and device interoperability from 2026 onwards. However, some of the measures remain under review pending developments in US litigation and European enforcement.

The regulator has until October to finalize its strategic market status designations. In the meantime, it has invited stakeholders to submit feedback on the proposed intervention roadmap.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Top Rated Comments

surferfb Avatar
7 hours ago at 05:10 am
Clicking through the article, the UK has this to say:


While Google allows sideloading and alternative app stores, we have heard that friction and warning screens discourage it in practice.
Maybe that’s because warning screens are needed? Let’s see what the experts say. This article ('https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2024/09/26/google-play-store-new-app-warning-for-pixel-9-pro-samsung-galaxy-s24-android') has some fun quotes. Emphasis is mine.


Google is cleaning up Android. The longtime app free-for-all is coming to an end, with a Play Store cull and tightening of restrictions around sideloading ('https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2024/09/10/google-play-store-update-for-samsung-pixel-android-users-now-live/') now hitting users, and Play Protect soon to be enhanced with Android 15’s live threat detection. All this is intended to close the gap to iOS and the locked down iPhone ecosystem.

The advice is simple. No to third-party stores, and a bigger no to mods for popular apps from unofficial sources.

The good news for Android users sticking rigidly to Play Store, though, is that unsurprisingly the risks are exponentially increased when sideloading. Little surprise then that Google, Samsung and others are finally clamping down on third-party app store access and direct installs

“Our research,” Zimperium says, “indicates that globally, users who engage in sideloading are 200% more likely to have malware running on their devices than those who do not. In fact, sideloading is a great contributor to malware risk; in 8.3% of cases where malware was detected, the source can be traced back to a sideloaded application
We should absolutely not be letting regulators who think encryption backdoors are a good idea, or that Apple can create backdoors “that only the good guys can use” be setting iOS security policy.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
drrich2 Avatar
7 hours ago at 05:04 am
If they can't complain about a monopoly, I guess a duopoly will do. Triopoly, anyone?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ctrlos Avatar
7 hours ago at 04:59 am
So in effect parity with the EU.

Makes sense to me.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bodhisattva Avatar
7 hours ago at 05:40 am

When you can't go after a monopoly, go after a duopoly, triopoloy, *opoly.

One problem with actions like this is the fact that most developers do not pay a 30% commission (not sure if "undercut Apple's lucrative 30% commission model" is purely Macrumor's wording or borrowed from the CMA). Would developers want to pay lower commissions? Most would.

However, what if Apple increases developer fees to compensate (not saying Apple should)? Or, what if Apple raises hardware prices or other service prices to compensate (Apple is more likely to do that)?

I'm all for appropriate government regulation, but I am more than a little leery of governments wanting more control over private tech companies in a way that fundamentally changes significant aspects of the companies. Also, the UK isn't exactly leading the efforts to promote privacy so it's difficult to know how much of this is driven by promoting consumer rights and competition through a light touch of regulation or how much is simply a push towards governmental control of private business.

What governments could do is work on encouraging more competition by encouraging companies to make competing smartphones and mobile OSes.
And what truly is the message behind all this? If I make something great and the entire world loves it, guess that means I have to break it apart, sell of pieces, share trade secrets and make sure someone else can run with my ideas and technology. Do everything, spend time and money to become the select few best but then be reprimanded because the entire world now wants what you sell. Sounds legit <sarcasm>
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bodhisattva Avatar
7 hours ago at 05:36 am

If they can't complain about a monopoly, I guess a duopoly will do. Triopoly, anyone?
And when days truly grow dark.... the Quad and Pentopoly. The end days are soon after! smh It's almost a comedy at this point if it weren't so sad to watch it all unfold.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apparatchik Avatar
7 hours ago at 05:04 am
The EU is a large important market Apple had to cater to, the UK, while relevant, is nowhere near.

I wonder if UK policy makers realize they can only push a company so much before it decides it’s just not worth it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)