The UK is finally tightening the reins on Big Tech, specifically Apple and Google, over their chokehold on mobile platforms. In July 2025, the country’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) officially launched investigations into the two companies under its newly granted powers from the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, which came into effect earlier this year. These aren’t just casual reviews; the CMA is determining whether Apple’s and Google’s dominance qualifies them for “Strategic Market Status” (SMS), a legal classification that allows the regulator to enforce custom rules on how they operate in the UK.
The two investigations are focused on three core issues: first, whether the companies are limiting fair competition within their ecosystems; second, whether they’re unfairly prioritizing their own services over others; and third, whether they’re exploiting developers and users through things like steep commissions, default placements, or restrictive contracts.
Right now, if you own a smartphone in the UK, it’s almost certainly running on either Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android. That level of dominance isn’t just impressive, it is potentially anti-competitive. According to Reuters, the CMA is concerned that Apple and Google are not just providing platforms but also setting the rules for all the other players, while simultaneously competing against them.
For instance, Apple forces all browsers on iOS to use its WebKit engine, which limits performance for alternatives like Firefox or Chrome. On the other hand, Google, while more open on paper, still loads its Android phones with a pre-installed suite of Google apps like Chrome and Maps. Both firms are accused of leveraging these defaults to steer users toward their own products and keep out competition, something regulators in Europe and the US have also questioned in the past.
The CMA is also investigating the companies’ control over in-app purchases. Apple and Google both charge up to 30% in commissions, and many developers are prohibited from even letting users know about cheaper payment options outside the app stores. According to AP News, this kind of control may be limiting innovation, increasing prices, and pushing smaller developers out of the market altogether.
If Apple and Google are given SMS status, it will open the door for the UK to set rules that go well beyond slaps on the wrist. This could include forcing them to open their platforms to rival app stores, allow alternative payment options, lower commission fees, or even give users the power to remove pre-installed apps. The Financial Times reports that these kinds of interventions could reset the power dynamic across the entire mobile ecosystem.
Naturally, both tech giants aren’t loving this. Apple insists that its restrictions protect user privacy and security, while Google has labeled the investigation as “disappointing and unwarranted,” according to TechCrunch, which first broke the story. They argue that their platforms empower users and offer developers massive reach. But the CMA seems more interested in whether that empowerment comes with strings attached and who’s really benefiting from the current system.
The outcome of this investigation isn’t just a local story. If the UK successfully puts these rules in place, it could become a global model for other regulators looking to tame Big Tech’s influence over mobile ecosystems. Think of it like the EU’s Digital Markets Act, but with a uniquely British edge. The CMA expects to make its final decision by October 22, 2025, and the tech world will be watching closely.
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