Apple and Google under investigation in UK over mobile market dominance

The probe will explore the potential impact of their dominance on both consumers and businesses, particularly developers who rely on these platforms to distribute content and services

As part of a broader effort to rein in the expanding dominance of tech giants, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Apple and Google’s hold on the mobile market. This inquiry focuses on their operating systems, app stores, and browsers, marking a significant step under the recently expanded powers granted to the CMA to scrutinize major tech companies.

The regulator intends to examine whether Apple and Google possess "strategic market status" in the mobile ecosystem, given their near-monopoly over the majority of smartphones in Britain. The investigation will explore the potential impact of this dominance on both consumers and businesses, particularly developers who rely on these platforms to distribute content and services.

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Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, explained that a more competitive mobile environment could lead to innovation and new opportunities for both businesses and consumers. "Better competition could also drive growth in the UK," Cardell said, signalling the government's desire to break up potential monopolistic practices in the tech sector.

How consumers and developers could be affected

Almost all smartphones sold in the UK today run on either Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android operating systems, with the companies’ respective app stores and browsers holding dominant or exclusive positions within their ecosystems. This gives Apple and Google substantial control over what apps, services, and technologies are accessible to users, potentially limiting competition and innovation.

Apple responded to the investigation by emphasizing its commitment to dynamic and thriving markets. The company pointed out that its ecosystem supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the UK and that it faces competition in every area where it operates.

Meanwhile, Google defended its Android operating system, claiming it has fostered wider choice and reduced prices by being open-source. Google’s senior director for competition, Oliver Bethell, called Android “the only successful and viable open-source mobile operating system,” asserting that its openness has played a critical role in making smartphones and apps more accessible.

As part of the investigation, the CMA will examine whether Apple and Google are using their dominance to prioritize their own services over competitors or impose unfair terms on developers. This marks the CMA's second investigation into big tech, following a similar probe into Google’s search services earlier this month. The investigation is expected to conclude by October 22 this year.

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