UK Takes Action: Apple and Google Face Antitrust Investigation

January 24, 2025 – The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated a strategic market status investigation into the mobile ecosystems of Apple and Google, focusing specifically on the app store models of iPhone and Android. This action is based on the recently enacted Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act (DMCC), which became official UK law in May 2024 and took effect on January 1st of this year.

The DMCC aims to establish a new system for regulating digital markets, authorizing the CMA to oversee competition in the digital sphere. Its goal is to enforce rules that foster competition and curtail potential abuses of market dominance by large technology firms. Additionally, the bill bolsters the CMA’s capabilities in executing competition law and resolving consumer disputes, thereby shielding consumers from unfair business practices.

According to reports, this investigation will scrutinize Apple’s dominant market position and any possible exploitative practices, including app distribution and developer terms. Furthermore, the scope of the UK probe extends to evaluating the level of competition between Apple’s and Google’s ecosystems, assessing whether these tech giants have abused their monopolistic positions in the mobile operating system sector.

The investigation targeting Apple and Google’s app store models is set to conclude on October 22, 2025, with findings expected to be released by the end of the year. Depending on the results, Apple and Google may face penalties such as fines and orders to rectify their practices.

In the European Union, Apple has already implemented changes, allowing EU users to access third-party app stores and enabling developers to distribute apps via web platforms. It is anticipated that Apple may adopt similar measures in response to the CMA’s investigation in the UK.

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