Apple and Google will make changes to their app stores in the UK after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) raised concerns about competition in the sector.
The CMA says the two companies have agreed to a set of commitments that include avoiding preferential treatment for their own apps and being clearer about how third-party apps are approved.
What is changing in the UK app stores?
The CMA said Apple and Google have committed to:
- not giving preferential treatment to their own apps
- being more transparent about how apps are approved for sale
- not using data gathered from third-party developers in an unfair way
The announcement comes seven months after the regulator described Apple and Google as having an “effective duopoly” in the UK app store market.
CMA: ‘First steps’ under new digital rules
Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said the proposed commitments “will boost the UK’s app economy”, describing them as the first of many measures.
Cardell also said the regulator’s ability to secure “immediate commitments” showed the “unique flexibility” of the UK’s digital markets competition regime.
The CMA ruled both Apple and Google’s app stores had “strategic market status” in October 2025, giving it powers to demand changes aimed at improving competition and choice.
The regulator said it would “closely monitor” implementation and could formally require changes if it finds the commitments are ignored.
Apple and Google respond
An Apple spokesperson told the BBC: “Apple faces fierce competition in every market where we operate, and we work tirelessly to create the best products, services and user experience.”
Google said it believed its current practices for developers on Google Play were fair and transparent, but “we welcome the opportunity to resolve the CMA’s concerns collaboratively”, the BBC reported.
Pressure also building in the EU
Technology analyst Paolo Pescatore described the move as a “pragmatic first step”, but said some may see it as “addressing the low-hanging fruit”, according to the BBC.
The BBC also noted ongoing scrutiny in the European Union, where major platforms deemed “gatekeepers” face tougher requirements under wide-ranging competition rules.
The CMA said the UK app economy is the largest in Europe by revenue and number of developers, and estimated it generates 1.5 per cent of UK GDP and supports around 400,000 jobs, the BBC reported.