LONDON, April 3, 2026 — The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has updated its programme of work on mobile platforms and launched a call for evidence on recent changes to app store rules introduced by Apple and Google.
The regulator said it is seeking views on whether recent adjustments by the two companies—relating to how apps are distributed and how developers interact with their app stores—address competition concerns identified in earlier investigations.
The request for evidence forms part of the CMA’s broader oversight of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android mobile ecosystems following their designation with strategic market status (SMS) under the UK’s digital markets regime. That designation allows the authority to intervene where firms with entrenched market power may be limiting competition.
According to the CMA, the evidence-gathering exercise will examine how the companies’ latest app store rule changes affect app developers and competition in digital markets. Stakeholders are invited to provide information on whether the revisions improve developers’ ability to distribute apps and reach users, and whether further regulatory intervention may be needed.
The regulator also updated its roadmap of work across mobile platforms, outlining several areas it plans to examine during 2026. These include issues related to app store practices, browser competition, digital wallets and interoperability between mobile operating systems and connected devices.
The CMA said the work programme reflects the growing importance of mobile ecosystems to the UK economy, where app distribution platforms play a central role in enabling businesses to reach consumers.
The authority will use feedback from developers, businesses and other stakeholders to assess whether additional measures or formal conduct requirements may be required under the UK’s digital markets framework.
