Apple and Google Face Increased Scrutiny Over Their Control in Mobile Browsers.

A recent report from the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has highlighted the dominance of Apple and Google in the mobile browser sector, suggesting that this situation is harming consumers by limiting access to new features. Currently, 88% of Apple device users use Safari, while 77% of Android users turn to Chrome. According to the report, this landscape benefits neither consumers nor businesses, and it hinders innovation in the market.

The CMA has specifically criticized Apple's policies, which require alternative browsers to Safari on its devices to use the company's WebKit engine. This reduces the potential for these browsers to offer different features, effectively turning them into extensions of Apple's browser. Google has also faced criticism due to an agreement establishing a revenue-sharing arrangement between the two companies, where Google pays Apple a portion of the revenue generated by iOS users. According to the CMA's analysis, this agreement creates a disincentive to compete, again harming consumers.

The report suggests various interventions to improve this situation, such as allowing Apple to accept browser engines other than WebKit or prohibiting the revenue-sharing agreement between the two companies. However, it seems that these changes will not be implemented in the short term, as the CMA continues to investigate the dominance of Apple and Google in the mobile sector, with the expectation that this investigation will be completed by the end of the year.

Margot Daly, chair of the CMA's research group, emphasized that competition in the mobile browser space is inadequate and is slowing innovation in the UK. The report also suggests that new tools designed to address the issues identified in the market deserve careful consideration by the CMA, leveraging its recent powers to manage digital markets.