Apple and Google have made binding commitments in the UK to make their App Store practices fairer. This follows an investigation by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority, which found both companies to have particularly strong market power in the mobile platform sector. The announced changes address key areas such as app ratings, the handling of developer data, and, in Apple's case, access to iOS features. The aim is to strengthen competition without formally finding any wrongdoing.
In October, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) determined that Apple and Google effectively form a duopoly in the market for mobile operating systems and app stores. Based on this finding, both companies were granted so-called "strategic market status".
This classification is explicitly not proof of anti-competitive behavior. However, it grants regulators expanded powers to specifically demand changes to market practices if these are deemed to be anti-competitive. The commitments now published are the result of this regulatory framework.
Fairer app rating and classification
A key point of the agreement concerns how apps are reviewed, rated, and listed in the Apple and Google app stores. Both companies commit to ensuring that this process is fair, objective, and transparent.
Specifically, this means that apps must not be disadvantaged simply because they compete with Apple's or Google's own services. The evaluation and ranking should be independent of whether an app directly competes with platform-specific offerings. With this, the CMA is responding to long-standing criticism from developers who have complained about a structural preference given to the platform operators' own services.
Protection of developer data during the testing process
Another part of the commitments concerns the handling of sensitive data. During the app review and approval process, Apple and Google gain access to technical and business information from developers. In the future, this data is to be better protected.
Both companies pledge not to use the information collected during the app review process in any way that could distort competition. The aim is to prevent platform operators from deriving strategic advantages for their own products or services from this data.
Additional requirements for Apple: Interoperability of iOS
Beyond the general commitments, Apple is subject to additional requirements. The company must provide developers with easier and more comprehensive access to iOS functions and system-level features. This is intended to improve interoperability.
In practice, this could mean that third-party apps will be able to compete more effectively with Apple's own services. Many features of the iOS ecosystem have previously been only partially or not at all accessible to external developers. The CMA sees this as a key lever for strengthening competition within the Apple ecosystem.
Apple's statement and timeline
Apple has publicly commented on the agreements. In a statement to Bloomberg, the company said the announced commitments would allow it to continue driving important innovations in data privacy and security for users, while also creating new opportunities for developers.
The planned changes are scheduled to come into effect on April 1st. This is contingent upon the completion of a public consultation period, which runs until March 3rd. During this period, comments on the measures can be submitted.
Supervision and possible further steps
The CMA announces that it will closely monitor the implementation of the commitments. Should Apple or Google fail to meet their obligations, the agency will not hesitate to enforce formal requirements.
Furthermore, the CMA points out that further measures could follow in the coming months. These could include changes to the functionality of Apple's digital wallet app. It is therefore clear that the current commitments do not represent the end of regulatory intervention, but are part of a longer-term process.
Apple & Google: CMA intervenes in market structures
The agreement between Apple, Google, and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) marks an important step toward greater transparency and fairness in the mobile app market. Without finding any wrongdoing, the CMA is using its expanded powers to address structural competition issues. For developers, this potentially means a more competitive environment; for Apple, it means a more open ecosystem under close regulatory scrutiny. (Image: Shutterstock / Robert Harding Video)
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