Emulating the European Union, the UK government confirms that it is planning to launch new regulations over Apple and Google.
As previously reported, the UK government has been considering categorizing Apple and Google as having strategic market status, and then applying new regulations to them. According to a statement on the government’s own Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) page, is seeking views on its plan.
“Apple and Google’s mobile platforms are both critical to the UK economy – playing an important role in all our lives, from banking and shopping to entertainment and education,” said Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA. “But our investigation so far has identified opportunities for more innovation and choice.”
“The targeted and proportionate actions we have set out today would enable UK app developers to remain at the forefront of global innovation while ensuring UK consumers receive a world-class experience,” she continued. “Time is of the essence: as competition agencies and courts globally take action in these markets, it’s essential the UK doesn’t fall behind.”
This proposed categorization of Apple and Google would bring them under the scope of laws that enable the UK to fine both companies. It follows a CMA investigation into whether Apple has too much overall power in mobile, which was announced in January 2025.
The CMA says that its decision follows that investigation, but that it will not implement it until October 22, 2025. In the meantime, the CMA says it will be consulting “with affected businesses and consumer groups widely.”
Reuters reports that Google has responded by calling the CMA’s move “disappointing and unwarranted.” Google’s senior director for competition, Oliver Bethell, said that “it is… crucial that any new regulation is evidence-based, proportionate, and does not become a roadblock to growth in the UK.”
Apple has reportedly also responded that the new rules would undermine its ability to continue providing privacy and security to its users.
Strategic Market Status
“Strategic Market Status” is the UK’s synonym for what the EU calls gatekeepers. It ostensibly means digital firms over a certain size, although the UK is ignoring several that the EU has classified as this, including Amazon and Microsoft.
The CMA has been using this term since early 2024, when it announced that it was intending to pursue US Big Tech firms. It wasn’t actually able to launch the investigations it promised, though, because at that stage it didn’t have its full powers.
In fact, the body intended to govern Big Tech was founded in 2021 as the Digital Markets Unit, and was completely without any authority or powers. Nonetheless, it had 60 staff all waiting for Britain’s legislative process to complete.
Separately, the UK is now hinting that it will back down on its other major privacy controversy, the demand that Apple add a backdoor to iOS encryption. Apple has already refused, and also turned off certain protections for UK users rather than comply.
