London, Feb 10, 2026, 14:22 GMT
Apple and Alphabet’s Google have offered commitments to Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority to make the App Store and Play Store more transparent and predictable for UK app developers. The CMA said the proposals cover app reviews, rankings and use of developer data, alongside new steps aimed at improving access to Apple’s tools on iOS. (Gov)
The package is the first set of changes the regulator has secured since the UK’s digital markets competition regime took effect in January 2025 under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act. Under the regime, the CMA can designate a firm with “strategic market status” — its label for substantial, entrenched market power — and then set tailored rules to curb unfair practices. (Gov)
App developers say they cannot reach iPhone users without Apple’s App Store, while Google Play is the main route to Android customers, making the two platforms unavoidable gatekeepers. The CMA has argued that a lack of trust in how apps are reviewed, ranked and treated can deter investment, especially in products that compete with platform-owned services. (Competition and Markets Authority)
Among the pledges, Apple and Google said they would not discriminate against would-be competitors when reviewing apps and would rank apps in a fair, objective and transparent way. They also committed to safeguard developer data gathered in the course of app reviews. (UKTN)
Apple also promised an easier way for developers to ask to use system features — interoperability, in regulator-speak, meaning third-party apps can plug into core functions — including tools tied to digital wallets and live translation, the Guardian reported. Tom Smith, a competition lawyer at Geradin Partners and a former CMA director, called the voluntary commitments “lightweight”, and the report said the package is due to take effect on April 1. Apple and Google must also provide the CMA data on app approvals, rejections, appeals and review times, the Guardian said. (The Guardian)
CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said the commitments were an “important first step” as the watchdog pushes for broader changes. Apple said it “appreciated the positive and ongoing dialogue” with UK officials, while Google said it welcomed a collaborative route to address concerns. “We are deeply committed to providing a platform where developers can thrive,” a Google spokesperson said. (Reuters)
But the hardest issue is still on the table: app store commissions and rules that stop developers steering users to pay outside an app — steering meaning pointing customers to a separate checkout, often on the web, to avoid the store fee. The CMA said it is exploring measures on steering and is tracking international developments, including Epic’s U.S. litigation and compliance steps under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, and warned it will move to formal requirements if voluntary steps prove ineffective. (Gov)
The watchdog has so far avoided the EU’s heavier approach to app store regulation, opting for negotiated commitments rather than immediate, binding conduct rules, the Financial Times reported. The FT said the CMA plans to revisit commissions later in the year. (Ft)
The CMA is seeking views on the proposed commitments, with the call for evidence closing at 5 p.m. on March 3. It said the package is meant to give developers more certainty over app distribution and a route to request interoperable access to iOS functionality. (Gov)
