Apple has told the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that proposed changes to App Store “steering” rules are “highly intrusive.” As the CMA’s consultation with interested parties nears completion, Apple argues the regulator’s plan would go beyond promoting competition by effectively constraining how Apple can charge commissions and how it operates parts of its App Store business. Apple says the proposals would restrict the products and services for which Apple can charge a commission and would amount to illegal regulation of service pricing. Reuters is cited in both reports.
The CMA is considering measures intended to be more like those adopted in the European Union. One key element is requiring Apple (and similarly Google, both of which have strategic market status in the UK) to allow developers to direct users to alternative payment options outside the App Store. The CMA says this would reduce fees paid by developers and increase competition.
Apple disputes that the rules would produce customer savings and argues they could undermine innovation and investment. It also cites the scale of UK App Store sales and the relatively small share represented by commissions. The CMA, in response, says the consultation focuses on principles for fees that are “fair and reasonable,” not direct price setting, and that it is reviewing submissions before a final decision.
