Apple and Google agree to loosen grip on UK app stores under CMA pressure

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has secured significant commitments from Apple and Google to reform how their app stores operate in Britain, marking one of the first major tests of the country's new digital markets enforcement regime.

The CMA announced on Tuesday that both tech giants have agreed to make app store approvals, rankings, and developer treatment less opaque, while Apple has committed to opening up parts of iOS to rival services. These changes come after the regulator designated both companies as holding "strategic market status" last year, recognizing their dominant position in the UK mobile ecosystem.

Under the new commitments, both Apple and Google have agreed to use fair and objective criteria when reviewing and ranking apps, and to avoid exploiting developer data gathered during app approval processes to advantage their own services. The CMA has long argued that the app store approval pipeline can function as a choke point, particularly when platform owners are competing directly with third-party developers.

Apple faces the more substantial demands in this agreement. The iPhone maker has agreed to create clearer pathways for developers to request access to system-level features inside iOS and iPadOS. The CMA believes this could enable stronger competition in areas such as payments, digital identity, and translation tools. To ensure these commitments translate into real changes, the watchdog says it will track metrics including review timelines, appeal rates, and the handling of interoperability requests.

Google, for its part, is trying to frame the outcome as consistent with Android's existing "open" positioning. In a blog post, the company leaned hard on Android's "openness," pointing out it already supports multiple app stores, alternative browsers, and different payment setups. Google argues this gives developers and users more room to maneuver than some rival platforms. The company pointed to the scale of Android's economic footprint, saying the platform has generated roughly £9.9 billion in revenue for UK developers and supports more than 450,000 domestic jobs. "Our proposed voluntary commitments will continue to provide transparency on our app review, ranking and data usage policies and practices to ensure developers understand the many choices available to them on Google Play," the tech giant said.

This response marks a noticeably softer stance than Google adopted when the CMA first slapped the company with strategic market status, which it previously blasted as disproportionate and unjustified. Apple has stayed characteristically tight-lipped, offering no response to questions about the commitments.

The CMA is presenting these commitments as proof that the UK's Digital Markets regime can deliver quicker, targeted interventions without the years-long legal slugfests that have traditionally defined antitrust enforcement against Silicon Valley. The regulator is now consulting on the proposals ahead of potential implementation later this year.

These changes represent a significant shift in how the UK approaches digital market regulation, moving away from lengthy court battles toward more immediate, enforceable commitments. For developers and consumers in the UK, this could mean greater transparency in how apps are approved and ranked, potentially leveling the playing field between platform owners and third-party developers.

The commitments also highlight the growing tension between the "walled garden" approach of Apple's iOS and the more open nature of Google's Android ecosystem. While both companies are making concessions, the depth of Apple's commitments suggests regulators see iOS as the more restrictive platform in terms of developer access and competition.

As the consultation period begins, the tech industry will be watching closely to see how these commitments are implemented and whether they truly deliver on the promise of a more competitive and transparent app marketplace in the UK. The outcome could serve as a model for other jurisdictions grappling with similar issues around platform dominance and digital market competition.