Brit competition watchdog takes aim at Google, Apple's mobile ecosystems
- Reference: 1737634410
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/01/23/cma_google_apple_mobile/
- Source link:
SMS is a "designation" the CMA gives to corporate titans with substantial market share. They must generate revenues of more than £1 billion ($1.23 billion) in the UK, or global sales in excess of £25 billion ($30.76 billion).
The [1]investigations are wide-ranging, and areas being looked into include the operating systems, app stores, and browsers on mobile devices, as well as the impact on people that use them and businesses that develop content and services.
[2]
The watchdog is planning to examine competition within the respective ecosystems, investigate if and how Google and Apple use their market power with regard to other activities (for example, favoring their services), and if the pair make developers sign up to "unfair terms" to get apps into their stores. The CMA is also interested in whether either or both companies present users with a "choice architecture" that makes it tricky to choose which apps to use.
[3]
[4]
A decision based on the inquiry is scheduled for the end of October 2025, and the CMA warned it could include forcing the companies to open up access to key functionality or enable access to third-party app stores.
Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, called mobile devices and the software running on them "our gateway into the digital world."
[5]
"More competitive mobile ecosystems could foster new innovations and new opportunities across a range of services that millions of people use, be they app stores, browsers or operating systems. Better competition could also boost growth here in the UK, with businesses able to offer new and innovative types of products and services on Apple's and Google's platforms."
The CMA [6]began an SMS investigation into Google's search and advertising business earlier in January, using powers aimed at curbing the market dominance of tech giants via the [7]UK's digital markets competition regime , which came into force on January 1.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
[8]
Oliver Bethell, Senior Director for Competition at Google, [9]said : "Android's openness has helped to expand choice, reduce prices, and democratize access to smartphones and apps. It's the only example of a successful and viable open source mobile operating system.
[10]Former Amazon exec appointed as chair of UK's competition watchdog
[11]Brit watchdog probes Google's search, ads empire
[12]UK digital markets watchdog expects to launch investigations within the month using new powers
[13]UK watchdog launches inquiry into IBM's HashiCorp acquisition
"We favor a way forward that avoids stifling choice and opportunities for UK consumers and businesses alike, and without risk to UK growth prospects."
Both Google and Apple are under fire by regulators concerned about competition. For example, Apple was recently [14]criticized for its interoperability efforts (or lack thereof) under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). Google has also come [15]under the gaze of US lawmakers over alleged anti-competitive practices.
Alex Haffner, a competition partner at Fladgate, said: "This announcement was wholly expected – ever since the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer (DMCC) Act 2024 was passed into legislation, it was clear that Big Tech would fall under the CMA's regulatory microscope. It also replicates the approach taken by the EU Commission to the equivalent EU legislation over the past 12 months.
"What is more interesting is how this fits into the current sea change which is engulfing the broader organization of the CMA and in particular the very clear steer it is getting from central government to ensure that regulation is consistently applied with its pro-growth agenda. We can expect this to feature heavily once the CMA gets its teeth stuck into the specifics of the DMCC regime and its dealings with the tech companies involved." ®
Get our [16]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-to-investigate-apple-and-googles-mobile-ecosystems
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z5J2Akx1tDYrMVKhYc7XqAAAAQc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z5J2Akx1tDYrMVKhYc7XqAAAAQc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z5J2Akx1tDYrMVKhYc7XqAAAAQc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z5J2Akx1tDYrMVKhYc7XqAAAAQc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/14/cma_google_search_investigation/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/08/uk_markets_watchdog/
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z5J2Akx1tDYrMVKhYc7XqAAAAQc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://blog.google/around-the-globe/google-europe/united-kingdom/cma-assessment-of-mobile-ecosystems/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/22/ex_amazon_exec_on_uk_competition_watchdog_body/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/14/cma_google_search_investigation/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/08/uk_markets_watchdog/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/31/cma_inquiry_ibm_hashicorp/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/16/apple_dma_compliance_criticized/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/09/usa_vs_google_proposed_remedies/
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Heaven forbid that any spin or soundbites don't actually end in any tangible improvements for Joe Public now!
HMG has been largely toothless on many fronts, I don't see what is going to be achieved by this latest "investigation".
How nice of them to "take aim"...
What about actually firing once in a while ?
Option to delete google apps
It would be useful if one could delete google ( and Samsung ) apps when you have suitable alternatives installed. It's like Microsoft's insistence on using edge rather than the default browser, Android does much the same thing and the history of some actions is lost as it is not on my central Firefox archive, which today works almost seamlessly across all devices. I would prefer that I was always taken to Openstreetmap for my map information but can't stop Google maps still being accessed.
My medical applications are an utter mess and the NHS needs to standardise on one non-proprietary base to make all of them work seamlessly.
Re: Option to delete google apps
LineageOS and ChimeraOS are your friends. De-Google your Android.
Agree 100% mental74. Its possible to read somewhere in the press everyday about yet another Government probe into the nefarious doings of 'BigTech', but for the life of me I can't recall any instance of any action being taken to rectify whatever the problem is. I guess its another way of keeping the masses happy, and providing various politicians and superannuated businessmen with something to do, and an undeserved income.
How Open Source is Open Source?
Most apps need 'Google Services'. That bit's not open which limits the options for other vendors.
Look at the mess of the app store on Amazon's Kindle Fire.
Ugh. Look, the CMA is fine and probably right to investigate. But "Android's openness has helped to expand choice, reduce prices, and democratize access to smartphones and apps" is a bit of a misnomer. Some people love the flexibility, opportunities for multiple app-store options and revel in the mass of hardware options. For me, I choose the Apple store primarily because it *doesn't* do that. There's one App Store which is (fairly well) screened. There's one set of phone options and it's fairly clear how that stacks up. Do I pay a premium? Hell yes. Do I however go home from a tech job knowing that I don't need to "do the tech" for me, my wife or child and pay the premium specifically so I don't? Yes.
Not saying there aren't issues to be tackled here. Not saying I'm "an Apple fan". Just saying I actively choose their world because it allows me to be a little more mindless in the way I operate. Forcing them to split App Stores reminds me of the EU's Cookies or Browser Choice debacles so let's not have another of them please.
I suppose they'll just complain to HMG that the investigations are harming growth and that will be the end of it.