UK watchdog shuts down investigation into app stores of Apple, Google

Britain's competition watchdog has closed its existing investigations into Apple and Google's respective app stores, awaiting new legislation governing digital markets.

In 2022, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published a market study of mobile ecosystems in Britain, which found Apple and Google held an effective monopoly over the distribution of apps in Britain.
 

The body subsequently launched parallel investigations into both companies for alleged anticompetitive behaviour.
 

But in a statement published on Wednesday, the CMA said it had dropped both probes, pending the rollout of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA), which is expected to come into force later this year.
 

"Once the new pro-competition digital markets regime comes into force, we'll be able to consider applying those new powers to concerns we have already identified through our existing work," said Will Hayter, Executive Director for Digital Markets at the CMA.
 

Apple and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.