CMA Moves to Boost Competition in Mobile Platforms
Measures designed to boost the UK’s app economy, unlocking global success and ensuring UK consumers aren’t left behind.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is today proposing to designate Apple and Google with ‘strategic market status’ (SMS) in each of their mobile platforms and has published separate roadmaps of potential actions to improve competition.
The UK app economy
The UK has a vibrant app developer community, representing Europe’s largest app economy by revenue and app developer count. In total, the UK app economy generates an estimated 1.5% of the UK’s GDP and supports around 400,000 jobs here. App-led innovation has powered the success of strategically important sectors for the UK, like financial services and gaming. Fintech stands out, attracting over £18 billion in inward investment over the past 3 years. Meanwhile, gaming contributes £6 billion to the UK economy, with mobile gaming alone bringing in nearly £2 billion a year. UK developers are also behind many of the apps that make modern life work – helping millions of people work, shop, bank, travel, game, consume content and stay connected.
UK mobile platforms
Apple and Google’s mobile platforms hold an effective duopoly, with around 90 – 100% of UK mobile devices running on Apple or Google’s mobile platform. The CMA’s investigation has heard concerns affecting businesses and consumers in the UK. These differ across Apple and Google but include:
- inconsistent and unpredictable app review processes can create uncertainty for developers, meaning delayed or failed launches
- inconsistent app store search rankings may favour apps owned by the firms
- up to 30% commission on some in-app purchases, as well as restrictions on developers ‘steering’ customers outside of their app stores, for example towards other ways to pay or subscribe, which could make some business models unviable, reduce consumer choice, and chill innovation
- restrictions on developers’ access to features and functionality including between smartphones and wearable technology (such as smart watches) may be impeding innovation
- ‘Choice architecture’ (like default settings, pre-installation, prominence, prompts, and friction) may favour the firms’ own services, limiting competition and genuine choice for users.
It is essential the digital economy works well to power the success of businesses across the UK economy. More competition and choice will unlock opportunities for UK businesses to invest, innovate and grow, as well as allowing UK consumers to benefit from the latest innovations, high quality experiences and more choice.
A proportionate, pro-innovation approach
The UK’s new digital markets competition regime can help unlock opportunities for innovation and growth, by promoting competition in digital markets while protecting UK consumers and businesses from unfair or harmful practices. To support pace and provide greater predictability for Apple and Google and other market participants, the CMA has published roadmaps outlining how it would prioritise actions taken during the first half of any designation period. Measures outlined in the roadmaps focus on areas including:
App stores
- Ensuring a fair and transparent app review process and app store rankings to give UK app developers certainty
- Allowing the ability to ‘steer’ users out of app stores, for example to make purchases. Potentially driving innovation and financial savings for developers
Interoperability
- Ensuring UK app developers have interoperable access to key Apple functionality to create innovative products and services
- Addressing Apple restrictions on digital wallets to ensure UK FinTech can compete, and enabling connected devices like smartwatches and gaming headsets to seamlessly connect with smartphones
Consumer choice
- Ensuring consumers have a genuine choice over the services they use on their devices
AI services
- Exploring the factors likely to be important for the development of AI services like voice assistants on mobile devices to ensure a level playing field in this rapidly advancing sector
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said:
Apple and Google’s mobile platforms are both critical to the UK economy – playing an important role in all our lives, from banking and shopping to entertainment and education. But our investigation so far has identified opportunities for more innovation and choice.
The targeted and proportionate actions we have set out today would enable UK app developers to remain at the forefront of global innovation while ensuring UK consumers receive a world-class experience. Time is of the essence: as competition agencies and courts globally take action in these markets, it’s essential the UK doesn’t fall behind.
The CMA welcomes views on its proposed designation decisions and accompanying roadmaps. A final decision on both SMS designations will be made by 22 October 2025.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-proposes-action-to-drive-more-competition-on-mobile-platforms