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The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation on Tuesday Apple And GoogleControl of the mobile browser market.
The authority will explore the companies’ “tangle” over browsing as well as Apple’s control over cloud gaming through the App Store, it said in a release. The agency said Google and Apple will handle 97% of all web browsing in the UK in 2021.
Web developers, cloud gaming service providers and browser vendors have offered “significant support” for the investigation, according to the results of a June consultation released by the authority. They claim the status quo is limiting innovation and adding “unnecessary costs” to their businesses.
Developers also complained that Apple’s restrictions made it difficult for UK consumers to create innovative new apps and that they were forced to deal with bugs and errors when creating webpages.
Sarah Cardell, the CMA’s interim chief executive, said in the release that the authority plans to use its powers to tackle the problems where possible.
“Many UK businesses and web developers tell us that they feel they are being held back by restrictions set by Apple and Google,” she said. “We plan to investigate whether the concerns we have heard are justified and, if so, to identify measures to improve competition and innovation in these sectors.”
A spokesperson told CNBC that Google is committed to building a “growing, open platform” that helps “empower consumers” and encourages developers to build successful businesses.
“Android gives people more choice of apps and app stores than any other mobile platform. It also enables developers to choose the browser engine they want and is the launchpad for millions of apps,” the representative said.
An Apple spokesperson told CNBC in a statement that the company “believes in vibrant and competitive markets where innovation can thrive.”
“Through the App Store, we’ve helped millions of developers turn their brilliant ideas into apps that change the world, fueling an app economy that supports thousands of jobs in the UK alone,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to engage constructively with the Competition and Markets Authority to explain how our approach promotes competition and choice, while ensuring that consumer privacy and security are always protected.”
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