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UK Competition Crackdown Could Harm Users, Apple Says

By  |  August 28, 2025

Apple has raised concerns over Britain’s plans to tighten regulation of mobile operating systems, warning the measures could damage user security and hinder innovation. According to Reuters, the company argued that proposals under review by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) may require it to share technology with foreign rivals at no cost, a move it says could undermine its business model.

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    The CMA is currently assessing whether to assign Apple and Google’s Android system “strategic market status,” which would allow the regulator to impose new obligations aimed at boosting competition. Per Reuters, Apple contends that such a designation could weaken protections for consumer privacy and security while limiting the company’s capacity to develop new products.

    “We’re concerned these EU-style rules the UK is advancing are bad for users and bad for developers,” an Apple spokesperson said. “This approach undermines the privacy and security protections our users have come to expect, hampers our ability to innovate, and forces us to give away our technology for free to foreign competitors.”

    Read more: Apple Explores Potential AI Deals With Mistral and Perplexity

    The CMA’s plan outlines measures that include interoperability, which would require Apple’s systems to integrate more easily with third-party apps and services, and steering, which would let developers guide users to payment options outside Apple’s App Store. According to Reuters, Apple argues these changes could heighten the risk of fraud and reduce its ability to invest in technology upgrades. It also criticized the evidence base used by the regulator, pointing to limited developer input and survey data.

    Apple maintains that it faces competition from companies such as Google and Samsung, and insists that the CMA’s proposals risk creating unfair conditions in the market. Meanwhile, a CMA spokesperson emphasized that the UK’s approach is distinct from that of the European Union, offering flexibility to design proportionate rules that balance consumer interests with industry needs.

    The CMA is expected to reach a final decision on Apple and Google’s market status in October.

    Source: Reuters