Overview
- The Competition and Markets Authority opened a consultation on Tuesday proposing that developers be allowed to 'steer' users to off‑platform payment options and asking whether Apple should open iPhone NFC to rival payment apps.
- The CMA said any fee charged by Apple or Google for permitting steering must be fair, reasonable and lower than current app‑store commissions, and that savings should reach consumers or be reinvested in innovation.
- Google says it has already relaxed some Play Store restrictions to allow steering, while Apple has warned the changes would raise security and fraud risks and weaken parental controls.
- Campaign groups and fresh industry analyses argue high app‑store commissions — as much as about 30 percent in some cases — raise consumer prices and drain developer investment, with some studies estimating billions in extra costs to UK users over several years.
- The CMA used powers from the 2024 Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act and its 2025 strategic market status decisions to open this probe, and the consultation runs into July with possible enforceable requirements expected later in 2026.