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Apple and Google have been criticised for “exercising a ‘vice-like grip’ over mobile devices” by the UK’s competition watchdog.
More than 99% of all phones sold in the UK run on either iOS, owned by Apple, or Android, owned by Google – meaning these two companies can “tilt the playing field towards their own services”.
An interim report into the companies published by the Competition and Markets Authority on Tuesday said the watchdog was “concerned that this is leading to less competition and meaningful choice for customers”.
The CMA has advocated that the issue be tackled through the new Digital Markets Unit when it receives powers from the government.
Both companies’ control over the mobile market has been criticised by regulators and other enterprises in the US, EU, and UK.
Apple and Google have repeatedly been accused of using this control to serve their own interests before those of their customers, although the companies dispute this allegation.
Google is currently appealing against a €4.34bn (£3.71bn) record fine from the European Commission, alongside an order to stop abusing its control of the Android operating system, over allegedly forcing phone makers to pre-install its apps.
Fortnite-maker Epic Games accused Apple of “kneecapping the competition” after it was banned from the App Store for avoiding its payment rules.
Andrea Coscelli, the CMA’s chief executive, said: “Apple and Google have developed a vice-like grip over how we use mobile phones and we’re concerned that it’s causing millions of people across the UK to lose out.
“Most people know that Apple and Google are the main players when it comes to choosing a phone.
“But it can be easy to forget that they set all the rules too – from determining which apps are available on their app stores, to making it difficult for us to switch to alternative browsers on…
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Source : skynews
