U.K. Antitrust Push Prompts Apple, Google App Store Changes
In Focus
- The CMA designated both companies as having strategic market status in 2025
- App store changes will address market dominance in the mobile market
- Most smartphones in the U.K. run on either Android or iOS
U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says Apple and Google have committed to making their app stores more transparent and fair. To achieve this, Apple and Google will make app store changes to address their dominance in the mobile market. According to Yahoo Finance, the U.K. watchdog commended the move as a significant milestone in its strict regulatory approach.
Regulator Demanded Changes After Strategic Market Status
The U.K. designated the two companies as having strategic market status in the mobile market in October 2025. The strategic market status designation gave the CMA the power to demand that the two companies make specific adjustments to enhance competition.
“The ability to secure immediate commitments from Apple and Google reflects the unique flexibility of the UK digital markets competition regime and offers a practical route to swiftly address the concerns we’ve identified,” CMA Chief Executive, Sarah Cardell noted as cited by UKTechNews.
A majority of smartphones in the U.K. run on either the Android operating system or iOS. Google and Apple app stores also dominate the U.K. market. British regulators have been borrowing lessons on handling major tech companies from the EU.
U.K’s antitrust agreement with Google and Apple brings app features that already exist in Europe to Britain. Recently, the EU ruled that Apple’s Ads and Maps Services are not gatekeepers under the DMA.
What Changes Will Google and Apple Make?
Under the CMA app store agreement 2026, Apple and Google will make changes to facilitate app store transparency for developers. These changes will be critical in enabling developers to request interoperable access to iOS app development features like live translation and digital wallets.
“These are important first steps while we continue to work on a broad range of additional measures to improve Apple and Google’s app store services in the U.K,” Cardell added.
When reviewing apps for listing on their stores, Apple and Google will avoid discriminatory practices that disadvantage potential competitors. Both tech companies will review their app ranking systems to make them fair and objective. The companies will also protect the app data collected from developers and will not put it to unfair use.
Apple, Google React to CMA’s Announcement
Previously, the CMA said market dominance enabled the tech to hold significant influence over services, tech, and service developments in their app store environments. Reacting to CMA’s announcement, Apple said the commitments will enable it to improve its services.
“The commitments announced today allow Apple to continue advancing important privacy and security innovations for users and great opportunities for developers,” Apple noted, as reported by Yahoo Finance.
On its part, Google said it appreciates the opportunity to work with the U.K. antitrust watchdog to address its concerns.
“While we believe Play’s existing developer practices are fair, objective, and transparent, we welcome the opportunity to resolve the CMA’s concerns collaboratively,” Google said as cited by the Standard.
