On October 22, 2025, the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) took a bold step that could reshape the digital landscape for millions of British consumers and businesses. By designating both Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google with “strategic market status,” the UK’s antitrust watchdog has opened a new chapter in the ongoing debate over the power and influence of Big Tech in the mobile ecosystem. This move, which follows months of investigation and public consultation, signals the start of deeper scrutiny and potentially far-reaching regulatory changes for the two American tech giants whose platforms dominate the UK’s smartphone market.
The CMA’s decision to escalate its oversight of Google and Apple isn’t coming out of the blue. As reported by the Associated Press and corroborated by multiple outlets, the regulator began separate investigations into Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS platforms earlier in 2025. These probes were initiated under newly acquired digital market regulations, which were designed to protect consumers and businesses from what the CMA describes as unfair practices by major technology companies. The new rules give the watchdog unprecedented power to impose targeted measures aimed at opening up competition and ensuring fair treatment for all players in the market.
So, what exactly does “strategic market status” mean? According to the CMA, this designation does not imply any wrongdoing by Google or Apple. Instead, it serves as an official recognition of their near-total dominance in the mobile ecosystem. The numbers speak for themselves: between 90 and 100 percent of mobile devices in Britain run on either Android or iOS. This effective duopoly, as the CMA calls it, has raised concerns about the health of competition, the choices available to consumers, and the opportunities for smaller developers to thrive.
Among the issues identified by the CMA are unpredictable app review processes, inconsistent app store search rankings, and hefty commissions on in-app purchases—sometimes reaching as high as 30 percent. These factors, the watchdog argues, can stifle innovation and make it harder for British app developers to plan for the future with any certainty. To address these challenges, the CMA has proposed detailed “road maps” for both companies. These plans outline potential measures such as ensuring fair and transparent app review procedures, improving the consistency of app store search rankings, and—perhaps most controversially—allowing app developers to steer users toward payment channels outside of the official app stores. This latter recommendation mirrors similar efforts by the European Union to break the grip that Apple and Google have over in-app purchases and digital transactions.
As you might expect, the response from the tech giants has been swift and unequivocal. Google, for its part, has described the CMA’s decision as “disappointing, disproportionate and unwarranted.” The company argues that its Android platform has actually benefited app developers by providing a standardized operating model, thus saving them money and reducing complexity. "Following the CMA’s decision today, our mobile business in the UK faces a set of new – and, as of yet, uncertain – rules," said Oliver Bethell, Google’s senior competition director. "The CMA’s next steps will be crucial if the UK’s digital markets regime is to meet its promise of being pro-growth and pro-innovation."
Apple, too, has voiced concerns—though with a different emphasis. The company warned that the CMA’s proposed changes could increase risks for users and potentially jeopardize the UK’s "developer economy." Apple’s argument is that loosening control over app review and payment processes might expose consumers to greater security threats, such as malware or fraud, while also undermining the financial ecosystem that supports independent app creators.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time the CMA has wielded its new powers. Earlier in October, Google was already given the “strategic market status” designation in a separate investigation into the online search advertising market. But the simultaneous targeting of both Google and Apple’s mobile platforms marks a significant escalation, one that could set a precedent for other regulators around the world. The CMA has been clear that its goal is not to punish success, but to ensure that the digital marketplace remains open, competitive, and fair for all participants.
For British developers and consumers, the stakes are high. Unpredictable app reviews and shifting app store rankings can make or break a small business, while high in-app purchase commissions eat into profits and limit consumer choice. By proposing measures to make these processes more transparent and by recommending that developers be allowed to direct users to alternative payment methods, the CMA hopes to level the playing field. These changes, if implemented, could spark a new wave of innovation in the UK’s tech sector—or, as some critics worry, introduce new risks and uncertainties.
The debate isn’t just about economics or market share; it’s also about the broader principles that should govern the digital world. Should two companies have such sweeping control over how apps are distributed, reviewed, and monetized? Or is it time for governments to step in and ensure that the rules of the game are fair for everyone? The CMA’s move has brought these questions to the forefront, and the answers will have implications far beyond Britain’s shores.
From a historical perspective, the UK’s actions are part of a growing global trend. Regulators in the European Union, the United States, and elsewhere have all expressed concerns about the concentration of power in the hands of a few tech giants. The EU, for example, has already introduced rules requiring Apple and Google to allow alternative payment methods and to loosen restrictions on third-party app stores. The UK’s approach, while similar in spirit, is tailored to the specific needs and challenges of its own digital economy.
As the process unfolds, all eyes will be on how the CMA uses its new powers. The regulator has emphasized that being labeled with “strategic market status” is not a punishment, but a tool to ensure that consumers and businesses are treated fairly. The next steps could include formal consultations, the imposition of binding rules, or even legal challenges from the companies involved. Whatever happens, the outcome will shape the future of mobile technology in the UK—and perhaps set a template for other countries grappling with the same issues.
For now, British consumers and developers are left waiting to see how these new rules will play out in practice. Will they usher in a more competitive and innovative marketplace, or will they create new headaches for users and businesses alike? One thing’s for sure: the days of unchecked dominance in the UK’s mobile ecosystem may be coming to an end.
