The UK government isn’t playing around anymore.
They want to break the stranglehold Apple and Google have on how you buy things in apps.
Specifically the payments.
The Competition and Markets Authority opened a consultation Tuesday. They’re drafting new rules under the digital markets competition regime. The goal is simple enough on paper: lower prices. More innovation.
Right now? You can’t really choose how to pay.
The “Duopoly” Problem
Last October the CMA declared that Apple and Google hold an effective duopoly over the UK. Think about it.
90% to 100% of phones here run their stuff. That’s not a market. That’s a fortress.
Currently restrictions stop developers from pointing users to cheaper payment options. Apple bans this completely. Google allows it, but barely.
So developers are stuck paying mandatory fees. Big fees. Those costs eventually land on your credit card bill. Or they eat into the developer’s margin until they stop caring about making good products.
Enter “Steering”
Let’s talk about “steering.”
It sounds nice, doesn’t it?
Basically it’s the practice of letting a developer say “Hey, if you want to buy this level pack, go to our website where it’s 30% cheaper.”
That’s it. That’s steering.
The CMA says those restrictions have to go. Developers need the freedom to tell customers about other payment paths.
But there’s a catch. Apple and Google might charge for that permission. So the regulator is also drafting principles for steering fees. They want them to be fair. The savings have to show up somewhere—in the consumer’s pocket or back into the developer’s business. Not just vanished into the ether.
Google is Already Shifting
Timing matters.
The consultation dropped just days after Google updated its global Play Store terms. They now let developers steer users outside the store, if conditions are met. They even changed their fee structure for those using steering.
Will that help the UK situation? The CMA says they’ll see. They’re watching. They’ll assess the impact in the next phase.
It’s all part of the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act. They have to consult before locking in the rules.
And it’s not just London doing this.
The EU. The US. Japan.
Everywhere is watching the app store. Every jurisdiction is tightening the screws. The question isn’t whether regulations will come. It’s just whether they’ll work.
For now?
Apple still bans it in the UK.
And we wait to see what happens next. 📉
