UK watchdog proposes loosening Apple and Google app-store steering rules

The UK Competition and Markets Authority has opened a consultation on whether Apple and Google should loosen rules that limit how app developers steer users toward payment options outside their app stores.

The move could give developers more freedom to direct customers away from in-app purchases and toward cheaper ways to pay for subscriptions, digital goods and other services. The regulator said it wants to increase competition and give consumers more choice in the mobile app economy.

Why the CMA is revisiting app-store rules

The consultation follows the CMA’s earlier designation of Apple and Google with strategic market status under the UK competition regime. That process left several app-store conduct questions unresolved, including rules and fees tied to payments.

The watchdog is now using the consultation to test whether any steering fees Apple and Google continue to charge should be allowed at all, and if so, whether they must be justified by evidence and applied fairly.

The issue has been a long-running flashpoint for developers. App-store commissions and related charges have often been cited as a reason digital goods and subscriptions cost more than they might otherwise.

Apple, Google and developers

Apple is opposing the change. It says broader steering would weaken App Store security, undermine consumer protection and create risks such as scams and circumvention of parental controls.

Google says it has already reduced some fees and changed related practices. The CMA said it will assess the impact of those changes before deciding what, if anything, should come next.

The debate has broader implications for developers including Spotify, Epic Games and Match Group, which have long argued that Apple and Google’s rules and fees suppress competition in mobile distribution and payments.

What else is under review

The steering consultation is also tied to a wider question about how much control platform operators should retain over mobile payments. The CMA is separately considering whether Apple should open access to NFC technology, which could expand competition in tap-to-pay services on iPhone.

That NFC issue matters because it could affect how mobile payments work inside Apple’s ecosystem, not just how users reach outside payment options in apps.

What happens next

The consultation is expected to run for about a month. After that, the CMA can decide whether to move toward binding conduct requirements, narrower commitments or no further intervention on steering.

A final decision is expected later in 2026. Any outcome could affect the fees Apple and Google charge, the rules developers face when trying to route users to their own payment systems and the wider balance of power in the mobile app market.