The UK is progressing its Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) legislation, similar to Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The government has finished legal evaluations, concluding that Apple and Google possess significant market influence and strategic importance in mobile platforms, thereby granting them strategic market status (SMS). This development could necessitate the UK to mandate Apple and Google to permit third-party marketplaces, payment systems, and a greater variety of default browser options within their stores.
Although the initiative has not yet commenced, the UK government stresses that the designation of strategic market status does not indicate any wrongdoing or immediate obligations. The aim is to foster an environment where mobile platforms encourage competition, ultimately benefiting consumers and businesses that depend on Apple and Google.
On the other hand, Apple is against EU-style regulations, alerting UK users that they could lose out on new features should such constraints be implemented. Certain Apple Intelligence functionalities, such as iPhone Mirroring for Mac and FaceTime control, are not accessible in the EU owing to regulatory issues. Apple contends that these regulations could compromise privacy, security, and the overall user experience.
The UK government claims it is synchronizing its actions with those of other regions, including the U.S., EU, and Japan, to aid businesses and consumers. Future actions from the UK government in collaboration with the CMA regarding Apple and Google will be closely observed.
