en.Wedoany.com Reported - On June 30, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced a public consultation on a new set of behavioral requirements targeting the mobile platforms of Apple and Google. The proposed measures would require both companies to remove rules that restrict UK app developers from directing users to external channels outside the app store to complete payments, subscriptions, or transactions, thereby increasing competitive pressure in the in-app transaction space. The CMA stated that fees for steering should be based on a fair, reasonable, and evidence-backed framework, with associated costs expected to be lower than existing app store commissions, allowing savings to be passed on to UK consumers or reinvested in developer business innovation.
This regulatory consultation directly targets the fee and distribution rules of mobile app stores. The CMA noted that Apple currently prohibits developers in the UK from engaging in relevant "steering," while Google imposes restrictions on such activities, making it difficult for developers to direct users to payment channels outside the official app store. If the new rules are implemented, UK app developers would gain more ways to communicate pricing, subscription, and transaction options with users, and the app store commission mechanism would face stronger external comparisons.
The CMA has also included the opening of Apple's iOS Near Field Communication (NFC) functionality in the discussion. The regulator stated that some companies have reported that Apple imposes high fees and strict terms for NFC functionality, limiting third parties' ability to offer contactless transaction services within iOS apps. The two core issues on which the CMA is seeking input are the technical implementation method for opening NFC and the fees developers would need to pay to obtain relevant access. If formal requirements are subsequently established, UK fintech companies and app developers could offer more contactless payment, digital wallet, account-to-account payment, digital currency, stablecoin, digital identity, and car key services within their own iOS apps.
The public consultation has a clear timeline. The CMA requires feedback on the steering behavior requirements to be submitted by 5:00 PM on July 28, 2026, and comments on the potential NFC requirements by 5:00 PM on July 21, 2026. Under the framework of the UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, the CMA must conduct a consultation before formally imposing new behavioral requirements, after which it will decide whether to implement the relevant rules within the year.
The UK's digital market competition regime has already designated the mobile platforms of Apple and Google as key areas for regulatory oversight. The CMA previously confirmed that both companies hold strategic market status in UK mobile platform services, with regulatory coverage extending to operating systems, app stores, browsers, and key entry points of the mobile ecosystem. The current focus on steering and NFC opening is only part of the broader mobile platform regulatory plan. The regulatory approach is not to break up the platforms but to set boundaries for platform rules, giving developers, fintech companies, and end users more choices. The CMA also noted that Google announced new global Play Store terms on June 24, with relevant changes taking effect in the UK market on June 30. These include allowing developers, under certain restrictions, to direct users to complete transactions outside the platform and adjusting some fee structures. The CMA will assess the actual impact of these changes on users and businesses in its subsequent work on mobile platforms.
Google has responded, stating that it has already made the relevant changes proposed by the CMA on the same day, and noted that the new Play Store terms allow developers, under restricted conditions, to direct users to complete transactions outside the platform while adjusting the fee structure. Reuters reported that Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
If this consultation ultimately translates into formal rules, it will impact UK app developers, subscription-based services, fintech apps, and mobile payment service providers. App developers could gain more space for external payments and user communication, consumers might see more pricing options, and Apple and Google would need to rebalance platform security, payment experience, developer service fees, and regulatory compliance costs. Regulatory competition for mobile platforms is already advancing in markets such as the EU, the US, and Japan. The UK's simultaneous push on steering fees and iOS NFC opening indicates that the openness of key mobile ecosystem entry points remains a focal point of global digital market regulation.
