UK’s CMA crawls to Apple and Google regulation

• CMA continues investigations into tech giants, with a final decision on their status expected in October.
• Regulator cites concerns over revenue share, anti-steering, app review processes and interoperability.
• No actions, if any, are expected until 2026.
• Epic Games says its store won’t be coming to the UK this year and criticises slow-moving regulation.

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The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed designating Apple and Google with Strategic Market Status in mobile platforms in a move that could open up their respective ecosystems in the country.

A decision on provisional designations is expected in October, with consultations to begin on the first set of interventions from autumn 2025. The regulator said 90% to 100% of UK mobile devices run on Apple or Google’s platforms.

Concerns the CMA has heard so far in its investigations include

• Inconsistent and unpredictable app review processes.
• Inconsistent app store search rankings that may favour apps owned by Apple and Google.
• The 30% revenue share and anti-steering measures.
• Developer restrictions on feature access and functionality.
• ‘Choice architecture’ (like default settings, pre-installation, prominence, prompts, and friction) may favour the firms’ own services, limiting competition and genuine choice for users.

Regulation pushed to 2026

The regulator has also published a roadmap of its investigations and potential actions. It will focus on app distribution, interoperability with Apple devices, and consumer choice.

The CMA will look at the app review process, app store rankings, anti-steering measures, and any restrictions on functionality that favour platform holders’ own services.

An updated roadmap is expected in the first half of 2026.

The CMA previously kicked off its investigations into mobile ecosystems, and Apple and Google, back in January, where it also set a deadline of October.

“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,” said CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell. 

“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.”

Epic criticism

Epic Games has criticised the CMA for its slow progress and said it is unable to bring the Epic Games Store to iOS in the UK this year, with Fortnite’s return on the platform “now uncertain”.

“The CMA, the UK competition regulator, is choosing not to prioritise opening the mobile ecosystem to alternative app stores this year in the roadmaps for Apple and Google that were released today,” read a statement.

“This is a missed opportunity to introduce competition into a currently-monopolised market and unlock economic growth and consumer choice. Four years after concluding that the App Store and Google Play Store are parallel monopolies the CMA has done nothing to allow competing stores.”

It added: “The CMA has deprioritised store competition entirely, to be considered sometime in 2026.

“The CMA also made a vague announcement about allowing developers to steer customers to payment service outside of apps, without referencing the kinds of restrictions, obstructions and junk fees that Apple introduced in Europe to make a mockery of the Digital Markets Act.”

Regulatory crawl

The UK’s investigations come as the European Union has already fined Apple €500 million ($587m) for breaching the Digital Markets Act, forcing changes to App Store rules.

According to a report, the European Commission is likely to give approval for Apple’s new rules and fees in the region over the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, a US judge in the Epic Games vs. Apple case has opened up the App Store in the country by enabling linkouts to alternative payment options for free. Apple is appealing that landmark ruling.