UK regulators could force Apple and Google to remove steering restrictions by the end of the year
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is proposing to force Apple and Google to remove restrictions that prevent app developers from steering customers away from the platforms’ native payment systems. Apple currently bans steering entirely, while Google restricts the practice in the UK.
The CMA argues that lifting these constraints would allow developers to bypass mandatory platform fees. The regulator is consulting with industry stakeholders until July 28 to determine whether the store fees charged by Apple and Google are “fair and reasonable.”
This regulatory action represents the latest challenge to the tech giants’ app store practices, which have long faced criticism as anti-competitive. The consultation will inform whether the CMA proceeds with enforcement requiring the companies to open their payment systems to alternative options.
If enacted, the changes could significantly impact app developers and consumers by reducing the fees developers must pay to access platforms and increasing competition in mobile payment processing.