CMA shelves app store probes to leverage digital market powers

Signalling its intent to leverage new powers granted by the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act (DMCCA), the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has closed its investigations into Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store.

The investigations – launched over concerns that both tech giants were unfairly leveraging their dominant market positions, to the detriment of UK app developers and consumers – focused primarily on rules mandating the use of proprietary...

21 August 2024 | Android

Google: Third-party stores in Play Store would cost over $61M

In the wake of Epic Games' victory against Google last December, where a jury ruled that the Google Play app store and Google Play Billing constitute illegal monopolies, the tech giant has revealed the potential costs of implementing court-ordered changes to Android.

Google estimates that integrating third-party app stores within its Play Store would cost between $61.3 million and $137 million, according to documents submitted to the court. This comes in response to Judge James...

25 June 2024 | Android

Encryption under fire: Signal and rights groups oppose EU law

In a strongly worded statement, Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal, has called out the EU’s latest attempts to weaken end-to-end encryption under the guise of new terminology.

Her comments come in response to ongoing discussions surrounding the EU's chat control legislation, which has seen some European countries pushing for measures that could potentially compromise user privacy.

Whittaker's concerns are echoed by a joint statement issued in May by several...

20 June 2024 | Hacking & Security

EU classifies iPadOS as a ‘gatekeeper’ subject to DMA rules

The European Commission has classified Apple's iPadOS as a “gatekeeper" under the EU's new tech competition rules, subjecting it to strict requirements aimed at promoting fairness and expanding consumer choice.

"The Digital Markets Act is a dynamic tool which allows us to tackle the realities of digital markets," said Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition chief

In a press release on Monday, the Commission stated that its investigation found Apple "presents the...

29 April 2024 | App Stores

Apple enables web distribution for iOS developers targeting EU users

Apple has announced that iOS app developers targeting EU users are now able to directly offer downloads from their own websites. This shift comes as a response to the EU's new Digital Markets Act (DMA), requiring major tech platforms to open up their ecosystems and ensure a more competitive market.

Historically, Apple has maintained a notorious "walled garden" for its iOS ecosystem, with the App Store being the sole gateway for downloading apps on iPhone devices. However, the new...

17 April 2024 | Developer

Apple responds to accusation of skirting antitrust ruling

Apple has requested that a judge dismisses a new complaint by Epic Games, which accuses the Cupertino-based company of failing to adhere to an earlier antitrust ruling.

The dispute initially ignited when Epic Games implemented its own in-app payment system within the iPhone platform, effectively sidestepping the App Store's standard 30 percent commission fee. Apple retaliated by expelling Epic from the App Store, citing a clear violation of its terms and conditions.

The...

15 April 2024 | App Stores

Apple refutes all of the DoJ’s antitrust claims

Apple has firmly rejected the US Department of Justice's (DoJ) antitrust claims, dismissing them as either outdated or misrepresentations of the company's business model.

The DoJ's antitrust lawsuit against Apple alleges that the tech giant has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act on multiple fronts, including imposing restrictive contracts and commissions on developers, limiting the functionality of non-Apple apps, and diminishing the capabilities of competing products...

27 March 2024 | App Stores

Epic to launch iOS and Android store with controversial 12% cut

In the ongoing saga of tech giants battling over App Store fees and policies, Epic Games is being accused of hypocrisy as it attempts to introduce its own 12 percent commission store.

The gaming company – joined by heavyweights like Meta, Microsoft, X, and Match Group – is protesting against Apple's handling of App Store fees and its anti-steering policy in California.

Following a series of legal battles between Apple and Epic, which mostly ended in Apple's favour, a...

21 March 2024 | Android

Spotify cries foul over Apple’s app review process

Spotify has accused Apple of deliberately holding back approval for an updated version of its iOS app, claiming the tech giant is failing to comply with the European Union's new Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations.

The music streaming giant submitted an updated app to Apple's App Store on March 5th, just days before the DMA came into effect on March 7th. The new rules allow developers to use alternative payment systems for in-app purchases and distribute apps outside of Apple's...

15 March 2024 | App Stores

Apple faces EU scrutiny for terminating Epic’s developer account

Apple finds itself under the European Union's microscope following its decision to terminate Epic Games’ developer account, blocking the gaming company from establishing its own app store for iPhone users in Europe. This move has reignited the ongoing feud between the two tech giants and raised concerns over potential violations of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Epic Games – the creator of popular game Fortnite – expressed outrage after Apple abruptly ended its...

7 March 2024 | App Stores