A plan to break the perceived mobile duopoly of Apple and Google, and their respective app stores, has been called “weak” by Epic Games.
The UK’s competition watchdog, the CMA, has fired the starting gun on a new regulatory chapter that proposes to designate Apple and Google with “strategic market status” for their dominance over mobile platforms. However, industry giants like Epic Games have branded the proposals a “missed opportunity” that puts the return of Fortnite to UK iPhones in jeopardy.
The CMA announced its proposals today, publishing detailed roadmaps that outline potential actions to dismantle the duo’s perceived duopoly. Will Hayter, the CMA’s Executive Director for Digital Markets, confirmed a final decision is expected in October. If confirmed, formal consultations on the first set of interventions could begin in autumn 2025.
With nearly every UK adult possessing a mobile device, and between 90 and 100 percent of these running on Apple or Google’s operating systems, the two tech giants hold a gateway to modern life. For UK businesses, mobile apps have become an indispensable route to market, powering an app economy that contributes an estimated 1.5 percent to the nation’s GDP and supports around 400,000 jobs.
The CMA’s investigations suggest that the combined dominance of Apple and Google has created numerous problems. Many developers other than Epic Games have voiced concerns about opaque app review processes, unclear search rankings that may favour the platforms’ own apps, and the controversial commission of up to 30 percent on in-app purchases. The regulator also pointed to ‘choice architecture’, such as pre-installed default settings, which can steer users towards the giants’ own services.
To address these issues, the CMA has proposed a phased approach. A key early priority would be ensuring fair dealing for developers through transparent reviews and the ability to ‘steer’ users to make purchases outside the app store. For Apple specifically, the CMA will focus on improving interoperability to help UK FinTechs and connected device makers innovate.
While the CMA framed its roadmaps as a proportionate approach, the announcement was met with a scathing response from Fortnite developer Epic Games. The company immediately cast doubt on its future in the UK iOS market.
“We can’t bring the Epic Games Store to iOS in the UK this year (if ever), and Fortnite’s return to iOS in the UK is now uncertain,” Epic Games declared in a statement.
Epic’s main criticism is that the regulator has failed to prioritise what it sees as the most necessary reform: opening up mobile platforms to competing app stores.
“The CMA, the UK competition regulator, is choosing not to prioritise opening the mobile ecosystem to alternative app stores this year,” the statement continued. “This is a missed opportunity to introduce competition into a currently-monopolised market.”
Epic Games argued that, after four years of investigation, the CMA has now delayed action on store competition until “sometime in 2026.”
The developer was also deeply sceptical of the CMA’s proposal to allow steering users to external payment systems. Epic warned of a repeat of the situation in Europe, referencing “the kinds of restrictions, obstructions and junk fees that Apple introduced in Europe to make a mockery of the Digital Markets Act.”
The company went on to argue that “unless Apple and Google are completely blocked from imposing fees and discriminating against apps using out-of-app payment, we can expect years of malicious compliance ahead, and no genuine restoration of market competition.”
Epic contrasted the CMA’s proposals with actions elsewhere. The company praised the EU’s Digital Markets Act for enabling the launch of alternative stores in Europe and pointed to a US court order which, it says, forced Apple to introduce “real payment competition which has genuinely benefitted customers.”
While the CMA notes that regulators in the EU, US, Japan, and Brazil are all taking action, Epic frames the UK’s plan as weak.
“Today’s bleak news from the United Kingdom contrasts to the stronger pro-competition actions of other regions,” the developer said, adding: “We will bring the Epic Games Store and Fortnite to Brazil and Japan later this year.”
The CMA now enters a consultation period on its proposals until October, where it will face pressure from stakeholders.
Epic Games has made its position clear, stating “We hope the CMA will use its consultation process to re-examine these weak roadmap decisions and bring the benefits of genuine app store and payments competition to British consumers.”
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