UK urges Google and Apple to curb competition

Posted On: February 23, 2022

Both Google and Apple have been the subject of numerous antitrust lawsuits and complaints over the past two years, and this week, the UK went even further to try to intervene with the two tech giants. new transfer Today’s statement suggests the UK is dealing with a “double monopoly” on Google and Apple in the mobile space.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating concerns that Apple and Google have “too much control” over mobile operating systems, browsers and app stores. CMA is “concerned” that Google and Apple’s “alternative-like controls” over mobile devices are limiting competition and “meaningful choice” for consumers.

Pointing the finger at Apple, the CMA enforced iOS policies that restrict cloud services and that users could lose the “full benefit” of web apps, adding that Apple now allows third-party ways to distribute apps and restrict browsers on iOS. Previously, there were limitations on third-party browsers. Former Google employee now calls him.

The report also finds that Apple’s Safari has nearly 50% share of UK mobile browsers, while 40% comes from Chrome. It turns out that more than half of the smartphones used in the UK in 2020 will be iPhones and the rest will be Androids. The CMA report also shows that more than 95% of native app downloads in 2020 came from the Play Store and App Store on their respective platforms.

On Google’s side, CMA handles Google’s contracts with Android manufacturers that encourage use of the Play Store, Chrome, and other Google services. These points have also become focal points of investigations in the United States and Europe.

While the UK has yet to take direct action against Google or Apple, today’s CMA report is a clear sign that things are moving in that direction. The report also offers some suggestions on how Google and Apple can address the issue.

Makes it easy for users to switch between iOS and Android phones when they want to switch devices without losing functionality or data.

Facilitates the installation of apps through methods other than the App Store or Play Store, including so-called “web apps”.

Enable all apps so users can choose how to pay in-app for things like game credits or subscriptions, rather than being tied to Apple and Google’s payment systems.

This makes it easier for users to choose alternative services such as Apple and Google for services like browsers, especially by ensuring that they can easily set their default browser.

The UK investigation into Google and Apple will see the final report in June next year.