Apple said new UK App Store rules would give regulators a “very intrusive” role in dictating how it runs its business, reports Reuters. Apple has submitted its comments to the UK Competition and Markets Authority as it plans to force Apple to change its App Store rules.
The CMA wants Apple to allow developers to connect to payment options outside of the App Store, which the CMA says will reduce fees and boost competition. Developers in the UK are currently unable to direct customers outside of the App Store, although this is permitted under current US App Store rules and EU App Store rules.
British regulators have said Apple can charge developers fees, but they must be fair and reasonable, and lower than existing App Store commissions, so developers can pass the savings on to customers or reinvest them in innovation.
According to Apple, the CMA’s proposed rules would harm innovation and investment and amount to price regulation due to the restriction of fees. Apple says there is no evidence that allowing developers to require users to purchase options outside of the App Store would result in savings for customers. Apple said the App Store generated more than £46.5 billion in billings and sales in the UK in 2025, and that commissions accounted for less than 3.5% of the total.
The CMA denied its proposal constituted price regulation. “Our consultation proposes principles to ensure that the fees charged by Apple and Google for piloting are fair and reasonable, and not to set prices directly,” a CMA spokesperson said. Reuters.
The CMA is currently evaluating the comments before making a final decision on the proposal. The changes also apply to Google, as Apple and Google were both granted Strategic Marketplace Status (SMS) in the UK last year. As part of this designation, the CMA can impose requirements intended to open platforms to greater competition.
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