Overview
- Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority has opened a consultation proposing draft conduct requirements to let app developers ‘steer’ users to payments outside Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
- The CMA said any fee the platforms charge for enabling steering should be fair, evidence‑based and lower than current app‑store commissions so savings reach consumers or are reinvested by developers.
- The proposals also ask whether Apple should open iOS near‑field communication access so rival payment services can work inside iPhone apps, potentially enabling account‑to‑account and other non‑Apple payments.
- Google says it has already relaxed Play Store rules to allow some steering and links to off‑platform payments while Apple has defended its rules on security and the value its platform provides.
- Campaigners point to research estimating about £4.1bn in extra costs to UK consumers over five years from current commissions and the CMA, backed by the DMCC Act 2024, will assess recent changes and may impose formal obligations later this year.