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Time of India
24-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
UK steps up scrutiny of Apple and Google over mobile platforms
Britain on Wednesday told Apple and Google to be fairer in how they distribute apps on their mobile platforms, setting out possible interventions as it plans to designate the US tech companies with strategic market status over their duopoly. The country's competition regulator, which was given a wider remit this year to take on Big Tech, laid out concerns relating to inconsistent and unpredictable app review processes, inconsistent app store search rankings, and up to 30% commission on some in-app purchases. Apple and Google's mobile platforms hold an "effective duopoly", with around 90-100% of UK mobile devices running on their mobile platforms, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said in a statement. "Apple and Google's mobile platforms are both critical to the UK economy ... but our investigation so far has identified opportunities for more innovation and choice," CMA head Sarah Cardell said. She said the CMA's "targeted and proportionate" actions would support British app developers - who contribute an estimated 1.5% to the country's economy - to innovate. Interventions could require the companies to make their app store review and ranking processes fairer and more transparent, including fair warnings of changes to the process or guidelines and appropriate channels for businesses to raise concerns. Apple and Google pushed back against the CMA's proposals, with Google calling the step "disappointing and unwarranted." "It is crucial that any new regulation is evidence-based, proportionate and does not become a roadblock to growth in the UK," Google's senior director for competition, Oliver Bethell, said. Apple said it was concerned that the new rules being considered would undermine the privacy and security protections expected by its users. Missed opportunity In contrast, "Fortnite" maker Epic Games, which stands to benefit from a more open mobile ecosystem, said the regulator had not gone far enough. It said the CMA, which gained more global prominence as a regulator following Brexit, had "deprioritised store competition entirely" by pushing it to be considered in 2026, calling it a "missed opportunity." The company, which has launched its own marketplace app in Europe, said it could not bring its app store to Apple's mobile operating system (iOS) in Britain this year and said that Fortnite's return to Apple's iOS was also uncertain. The regulator is also under pressure from Britain's Labour government, which has called on regulators to prioritise growth in hopes of rejuvenating a stagnant economy to regain voter confidence. A final decision on both the designations will be made by October 22, the CMA said. It also published roadmaps on potential further action as part of these parallel investigations. A strategic market status designation allows the CMA to impose interventions on a company, such as requiring it to adhere to specific behaviour so as not to undermine fair competition. For Alphabet-owned Google, mobile platforms are the second market where it has come in for closer scrutiny under the CMA's new regime, following the watchdog's proposal last month to designate Google in general search and search advertising.
India.com
24-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Big trouble for Sundar Pichai's Google and Steve Jobs Apple? this regulator to mandate changes for…, to protect consumers, businesses from…
Sundar Pichai- File image Britain's antitrust regulator has proposed designating Google's and Apple's mobile ecosystems as having 'strategic market status,' a move that would require both tech giants to make changes aimed at boosting competition. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) made the announcement on Wednesday, following separate investigations launched earlier this year into Google's Android and Apple's iOS platforms. These probes were conducted under newly introduced digital market regulations intended to shield consumers and businesses from unfair practices by dominant tech firms. UK Regulator On Apple And Google The watchdog said Apple and Google hold an 'effective duopoly,' with 90-100 per cent of mobile devices in Britain running on either mobile platform. Its investigation found a range of concerns affecting businesses and consumers such as unpredictable app reviews, inconsistent app store search rankings and commissions on in-app purchases of as much as 30 per cent. The CMA also unveiled separate 'roadmaps' for each company outlining possible measures to improve competition, including 'fair and transparent' app reviews and app store rankings to give British app developers 'certainty.' The watchdog also recommends letting app developers 'steer' users to channels outside of app stores where users can make purchases, mirroring similar efforts by the European Union. Google On Regulators Decision Google called the watchdog's decision 'disappointing and unwarranted,' and said Android has saved app developers money because they didn't have to adapt to different operating models for each smartphone. It's 'crucial that any new regulation is evidence-based, proportionate and does not become a roadblock to growth in the UK,' the company's senior director of competition, Oliver Bethell, said. Apple said it was worried the CMA's moves could pose increase risks for users and jeopardize the UK's 'developer economy.' 'We're concerned the rules the UK is now considering 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,' Apple said in a statement. 'We will continue to engage with the regulator to make sure they fully understand these risks.' (With Inputs From Agencies)
Business Insider
24-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Alphabet Stock (GOOGL) Drops after Threatened U.K. Crackdown on Mobile Domination
Shares in U.S. tech giant Alphabet (GOOGL) were lower today because of fears of a U.K. clampdown on its mobile platforms. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. U.K. regulator the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said today that it planned to designate Alphabet's Google and Apple (AAPL) with strategic market status for their role in mobile ecosystems. Competition Concerns This means that the CMA, which opened the investigation in January, can take actions against a firm to change or stop specific behaviors or practices in order to address competition concerns. Apple's Safari and Google's Chrome dominate the mobile browser market on iPhones and Android devices, respectively. In the U.K. the CMA said Apple and Google's mobile platforms hold an effective duopoly, with around 90 – 100% of U.K. mobile devices running on their mobile platforms. As such, Europe is a key market for Google. The CMA said this led to issues such as inconsistent app store search rankings favoring apps owned by the firms, and choice architecture, like default settings, pre-installation, prominence, prompts, and friction, which may favor the firms' own services, limiting competition and genuine choice for users. It also highlighted the up to 30% commission charged by the firms on some in-app purchases and restrictions on developers telling customers about cheaper ways to pay or to subscribe outside of the app. 'Apple and Google's mobile platforms are both critical to the U.K. economy … but our investigation so far has identified opportunities for more innovation and choice,' CMA head Sarah Cardell said in a statement. '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 U.K. consumers receive a world-class experience.' Changes Needed The CMA said that it wants Apple to review apps for distribution in a 'fair, objective and transparent manner.' This could include remedies such as Apple explaining delays or rejections and creating an avenue for businesses to raise concerns about the process. Apple could also be made to publish a methodology for how it ranks apps in the App Store. The CMA has laid out similar remedies for Google. Google called the move 'disappointing and unwarranted.' 'It is crucial that any new regulation is evidence-based, proportionate and does not become a roadblock to growth in the U.K.,' Google's senior director for competition, Oliver Bethell, said. Apple said it was concerned that the new rules being considered would undermine the privacy and security protections expected by its users. This is another example of enhanced regulatory crackdown on U.S. tech in the U.K. and Europe. However, it has done little to stop the growth in either Apple's or Google's share price. Is GOOGL a Good Stock to Buy Now? On TipRanks, GOOGL has a Strong Buy consensus based on 30 Buy and 9 Hold ratings. Its highest price target is $250. GOOGL stock's consensus price target is $206.51, implying a 7.93% upside.
The Hindu
24-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
UK regulator seeks special status for Apple and Google that could mandate changes for Big Tech
Britain's antitrust watchdog has proposed labelling Google's and Apple's mobile ecosystems with 'strategic market status," which would mandate changes at the Big Tech companies to improve competition. The Competition and Markets Authority's announcement Wednesday follows separate investigations it opened at the start of the year into Google's Android and Apple's iOS, using newly acquired digital market regulations designed to protect consumers and businesses from unfair practices by Big Tech companies. The watchdog said Apple and Google hold an 'effective duopoly," with 90-100% of mobile devices in Britain running on either mobile platform. Its investigation found a range of concerns affecting businesses and consumers such as unpredictable app reviews, inconsistent app store search rankings and commissions on in-app purchases of as much as 30%. The CMA also unveiled separate 'roadmaps' for each company outlining possible measures to improve competition, including 'fair and transparent' app reviews and app store rankings to give British app developers 'certainty." The watchdog also recommends letting app developers "steer" users to channels outside of app stores where users can make purchases, mirroring similar efforts by the European Union. Google called the watchdog's decision "disappointing and unwarranted," and said Android has saved app developers money because they didn't have to adapt to different operating models for each smartphone. It's 'crucial that any new regulation is evidence-based, proportionate and does not become a roadblock to growth in the U.K.,' the company's senior director of competition, Oliver Bethell, said. Apple said it was worried the CMA's moves could pose increase risks for users and jeopardise the U.K.'s "developer economy." 'We're concerned the rules the U.K. is now considering 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," Apple said in a statement. "We will continue to engage with the regulator to make sure they fully understand these risks.' The regulator is seeking feedback on its proposal and has until October 22 to make a final decision.
Indian Express
24-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
UK steps up scrutiny of Apple and Google over mobile platforms
Britain on Wednesday told Apple and Google to be fairer in how they distribute apps on their mobile platforms, setting out possible interventions as it plans to designate the U.S. tech companies with strategic market status over their duopoly. The country's competition regulator, which was given a wider remit this year to take on Big Tech, laid out concerns relating to inconsistent and unpredictable app review processes, inconsistent app store search rankings, and up to 30% commission on some in-app purchases. Apple and Google's mobile platforms hold an 'effective duopoly', with around 90-100% of UK mobile devices running on their mobile platforms, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said in a statement. 'Apple and Google's mobile platforms are both critical to the UK economy … but our investigation so far has identified opportunities for more innovation and choice,' CMA head Sarah Cardell said. She said the CMA's 'targeted and proportionate' actions would support British app developers – who contribute an estimated 1.5% to the country's economy – to innovate. Interventions could require the companies to make their app store review and ranking processes fairer and more transparent, including fair warnings of changes to the process or guidelines and appropriate channels for businesses to raise concerns. Apple and Google pushed back against the CMA's proposals, with Google calling the step 'disappointing and unwarranted.' 'It is … crucial that any new regulation is evidence-based, proportionate and does not become a roadblock to growth in the UK,' Google's senior director for competition, Oliver Bethell, said. Apple said it was concerned that the new rules being considered would undermine the privacy and security protections expected by its users. 'MISSED OPPORTUNITY' In contrast, 'Fortnite' maker Epic Games, which stands to benefit from a more open mobile ecosystem, said the regulator had not gone far enough. It said the CMA, which gained more global prominence as a regulator following Brexit, had 'deprioritised store competition entirely' by pushing it to be considered in 2026, calling it a 'missed opportunity.' The company, which has launched its own marketplace app in Europe, said it could not bring its app store to Apple's mobile operating system (iOS) in Britain this year and said that Fortnite's return to Apple's iOS was also uncertain. The regulator is also under pressure from Britain's Labour government, which has called on regulators to prioritise growth in hopes of rejuvenating a stagnant economy to regain voter confidence. A final decision on both the designations will be made by October 22, the CMA said. It also published roadmaps on potential further action as part of these parallel investigations. A strategic market status designation allows the CMA to impose interventions on a company, such as requiring it to adhere to specific behaviour so as not to undermine fair competition. For Alphabet-owned Google, mobile platforms are the second market where it has come in for closer scrutiny under the CMA's new regime, following the watchdog's proposal last month to designate Google in general search and search advertising.
