Apple has found itself once again at the center of a regulatory storm—this time in the United Kingdom, where the company is pushing back against proposed rules that it claims could harm both its users and the broader tech ecosystem. The dispute pits the tech giant against the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which, in July 2025, designated Apple and Google as having “strategic market status.” This label puts both companies under the microscope and subjects them to new rules under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC), rules that bear a striking resemblance to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
For Apple, the stakes are high. The company’s response, issued on August 27, 2025, was swift and unequivocal. According to the BBC, Apple warned that the UK’s proposed “EU-style rules” are “bad for users and bad for developers.” The company pointed to recent experience in Europe, where the DMA has already caused delays in rolling out new features and enhancements for Apple users. For example, Apple withheld iPhone mirroring and Mac Live Activities from the EU and delayed the introduction of Apple Intelligence in the region. Apple asserts that the UK risks similar delays—or even outright removal of features—if the CMA’s regulations closely follow the EU’s approach.
At the heart of the dispute are several contentious provisions. The CMA’s proposed rules would require Apple to open up its tightly controlled ecosystem in ways it has long resisted. These include removing anti-steering practices (which currently prevent app developers from directing users to alternative payment systems), opening up access to Apple’s digital wallet technology, and allowing third-party smartwatches greater access to data on Apple devices. These issues have also surfaced in the United States, where the Department of Justice has raised similar antitrust concerns.
Apple’s arguments against the CMA’s approach are familiar yet forceful. The company contends that the new rules “undermine the privacy and security protections our users have come to expect, hamper our ability to innovate, and force us to give away our technology for free to foreign competitors.” Apple claims that under the EU’s interoperability requirements, it has received over 100 requests—some from major tech rivals—demanding access to sensitive user data, including information that Apple itself cannot access. The company frames this as not just a threat to its business model, but also a potential risk for user privacy and security.
“The CMA’s 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,” Apple stated, as reported by BBC. The company also warned that enabling developers to steer users to rival payment systems could “open the door to scams and threaten the security of users.”
But the CMA is not backing down. In its response, the regulator emphasized that its proposed UK rules are narrower in scope than the EU’s DMA. “They are designed to help UK businesses, including our thriving app developer economy, innovate and grow while ensuring UK consumers don’t miss out on innovation being introduced in other countries,” the CMA told the BBC. The regulator insists that its focus is on ensuring interoperability for specific Apple technologies—such as digital wallets and smartwatches—so that UK developers can build innovative new apps. The CMA also stressed that its next steps will “ensure it does not” undermine privacy, security, or intellectual property.
The CMA’s July 2025 findings underscore why the regulator is taking action. It found that “around 90-100% of UK mobile devices” run on Apple or Google platforms, giving the two companies what the CMA calls an “effective duopoly.” The regulator believes that this market dominance stifles competition, limits consumer choice, and makes it difficult for smaller firms to bring new products and services to market. As a result, the CMA plans to require Apple and Google to permit app makers to “steer” users to payment systems outside their respective app stores—a move designed to loosen the companies’ grip on digital transactions.
Yet, the path forward is anything but clear. While the CMA has announced its intention to introduce these regulations, nothing will be implemented until at least October 22, 2025. In the meantime, the regulator says it will consult with affected businesses, including Apple and Google, to gather feedback and potentially refine its approach. This period of consultation leaves room for further negotiation—and, perhaps, compromise—between the tech giants and the UK government.
Apple’s intervention in the UK debate comes at a moment when international tech regulation is under intense scrutiny, not just in Europe but globally. Former US President Donald Trump recently weighed in, criticizing foreign regulations he claimed were “designed to harm, or discriminate against, American Technology.” In an online post, Trump warned that countries with digital taxes or regulations targeting US tech companies were “on notice” and could face tariffs or restrictions on their own access to American technology.
For Apple, the regulatory challenges are not just a matter of compliance—they’re a test of the company’s philosophy and business model. Apple has long argued that its closed ecosystem provides superior privacy and security for users, and that opening up its platforms could expose consumers to greater risks. The company’s critics, however, contend that Apple’s walled garden stifles competition, limits innovation, and forces both consumers and developers to play by Apple’s rules.
The CMA, for its part, insists that “driving greater competition on mobile platforms need not undermine privacy, security or intellectual property.” The regulator says it is “carefully considering UK-specific steps” to achieve its goals, and will ensure that any changes do not compromise the very protections Apple says are at risk.
As the October deadline approaches, all eyes will be on the outcome of these consultations. The stakes are high not just for Apple and Google, but for the entire tech sector—and for millions of UK consumers and developers who rely on these platforms every day. Whether the UK can strike a balance between fostering competition and protecting users remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the debate over tech regulation is far from over, and the world is watching.
