Europe
UK competition watchdog proposes new rules for Apple, Google mobile platforms
Competition and Markets Authority seeks to expand payment options for app developers, improve access to iPhone technology
Seyma Erkul Dayanc
30 June 2026•Update: 30 June 2026
ISTANBUL
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Tuesday launched a consultation on proposed rules requiring Apple and Google to give app developers greater freedom over payment options and access to mobile platform features, the government announced Tuesday
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the proposed measures are intended to increase competition by allowing developers to direct customers to payment methods outside Apple and Google’s app stores, where they could avoid mandatory platform commissions
Apple currently prohibits such “steering” in the UK, while Google imposes restrictions, the CMA said in a press release
It is also consulting on principles requiring any fees charged for off-platform transactions to be “fair and reasonable.”
“We think it is important to give both app developers and users more choice about how they communicate and how they transact,” said Will Hayter, the CMA’s executive director for digital markets
The watchdog is also seeking views on measures that would give third-party developers access to Apple’s near field communication (NFC) technology on iPhones
According to the CMA, broader access to the technology could enable developers to offer contactless payment services through their own iOS applications and support future payment methods, including account-to-account payments, digital currencies and stablecoins
The consultation comes 18 months after the UK’s digital markets competition regime entered into force
The CMA said it has completed three strategic market status investigations, launched a fourth into Microsoft’s business software ecosystem, and has already imposed conduct requirements on Google’s search business while securing commitments from Apple and Google related to their mobile platforms
