Apple May Be Compelled to Permit Rival App Stores in the UK

Apple could soon be required to open its iPhone ecosystem to rival app stores in the United Kingdom following a major ruling by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

The move marks a potential end to Apple’s long-standing “closed system,” which only allows users to download apps through its proprietary App Store.

The CMA has officially designated Apple and Google as having strategic market status (SMS), a classification that acknowledges their dominant influence over the mobile operating system market. The designation paves the way for the regulator to impose measures aimed at promoting competition and consumer choice.

“The app economy generates 1.5% of the UK’s GDP and supports around 400,000 jobs, which is why it’s crucial these markets work well for business,” said Will Hayter, the CMA’s Executive Director for Digital Markets.

According to the regulator, nearly 90–100% of UK mobile devices run on Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android platforms, creating what it described as an effective duopoly. Data from Uswitch shows that 48.5% of UK mobile users own an iPhone, with most others using Android devices.

While the CMA stressed that its findings do not imply wrongdoing, it warned that both companies “may be limiting innovation and competition” in the app market.

Apple Pushes Back

Apple criticised the CMA’s decision, warning that increased regulation could harm consumers by weakening privacy and delaying access to new features.

“Apple faces fierce competition in every market where we operate,” the company said in a statement. “The UK’s adoption of EU-style rules would undermine that, leaving users with weaker privacy and security, delayed access to new features, and a fragmented, less seamless experience.”

The company has also argued that similar regulations in the European Union have already resulted in slower rollouts of new features such as Apple Intelligence, which remains unavailable in some EU regions.

If enforced, the CMA’s measures could compel Apple to allow alternative app stores and permit users to download software directly from developers’ websites – changes that would mirror recent EU directives.

Google Also Objects

Google voiced similar frustration over the CMA’s classification, describing it as “disappointing, disproportionate, and unwarranted.”

Oliver Bethell, Google’s competition lead, argued that Android already offers a more open environment, allowing users to download apps from multiple sources, including developers’ own websites.

“There are now 24,000 Android phone models from 1,300 manufacturers worldwide, facing intense competition from iOS in the UK,” Bethell said, insisting that Android’s open-source model fosters competition, not limits it.

However, consumer advocacy group Which? welcomed the regulator’s stance, saying that reducing the dominance of major tech firms could “help businesses innovate and give consumers more choice.”

“Their dominance is now causing real harm by restricting choice for consumers and competition for businesses,” said Rocio Concha, the group’s head of policy and advocacy.

The CMA is expected to outline specific measures in the coming months, which could fundamentally reshape how millions of UK smartphone users access and download apps.