Playing monoply with their app stores.
Britain’s competition watchdog has Apple and Google in its sights once again, launching fresh investigations into the tech giants’ mobile ecosystems under powerful new rules designed to curb digital market abuses.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it’s scrutinising the mobile ecosystems controlled by the two Silicon Valley behemoths to decide whether they should be granted “strategic market status.” Such a designation could force sweeping changes to their business practices.
Armed with new regulatory powers that came into force at the start of the year, the CMA has already taken on Google’s search ads business. Now, it’s turning its attention to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.
The regulator is probing whether the operating systems, app stores, and browsers tied to these platforms give Apple or Google an unfair grip on the market. It’s also investigating whether rivals are being blocked from offering competing services, and whether the tech titans’ own apps are getting preferential treatment. Apple’s Safari browser and Google’s YouTube app are under the spotlight, with both coming pre-installed on their respective devices.
The CMA plans to dig into alleged “exploitative conduct,” such as whether app developers are being forced into “unfair terms and conditions” to gain access to app stores. The regulator’s powers could see it demanding big changes, such as opening up access to crucial device functions or allowing users to download apps outside of Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store.
Google has defended its position, saying, “Android’s openness has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratise access to smartphones and apps. It’s the only example of a successful and viable open source mobile operating system.”
The company added that it supports “a way forward that avoids stifling choice and opportunities for UK consumers and businesses and without risk to UK growth prospects.”
The Fruity Cargo Cult Apple, meanwhile, has reiterated its commitment to competition and innovation. “We believe in thriving and dynamic markets where innovation can flourish. We face competition in every segment and jurisdiction where we operate, and our focus is always the trust of our users,” the company said.
The CMA has until October to wrap up the investigations, and the stakes are high. The watchdog’s findings could lead to major changes for two of the biggest names in tech, reshaping how their ecosystems operate and potentially opening the door to greater competition in the mobile market.
