Final report into mobile browsers and cloud gaming published
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-12)

Independent inquiry group finds that mobile browser markets are not working well for UK businesses and millions of mobile device users which is holding back innovation in the UK.

The independent inquiry group leading the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) mobile browsers and cloud gaming market investigation has published its final report today. The report finds that a number of markets relating to mobile browsers are not working well for consumers and businesses, which is holding back innovation and could be limiting growth in the UK. Most concerns identified relate to Apple’s policies that determine how mobile browsers, the way we access the web on mobiles, work on Apple’s devices.

Having assessed the feedback to the provisional decision report, published in November 2024, the inquiry group has confirmed its concerns in all but two areas relating to mobile browsers. Those two areas concern specific aspects of Apple and Google’s choice architecture practices, which were resolved after Apple released a software update in December making changes to how users can switch their default browser, and Google provided new evidence relating to its use of prompts to encourage users to set Chrome as their default browser on Android.

The group has also maintained its conclusion in relation to cloud gaming that no further action is necessary.

Since the inquiry group’s provisional decision report, the CMA opened investigations in January into whether to designate Apple and Google as having strategic market status (SMS) under the new digital markets competition regime. These investigations concern Apple and Google’s provision of their respective mobile ecosystem services, including in the areas related to mobile browsers which were the focus of this separate market investigation. These SMS investigations are currently ongoing and expected to conclude later this year.

The inquiry group has considered a number of potential interventions which could address the competition concerns it has identified. The final report recommends that, if Apple and/or Google are designated with SMS, then the CMA should consider imposing appropriate interventions. These include measures which could enhance the ability of other browsers to compete by offering new, innovative features to consumers, as well as enabling users actively to choose their preferred mobile browser which could drive competition.

Should the SMS investigations result in designations and appropriate interventions, the recommended course of action would improve competitive conditions in these markets, allowing a wider range of companies to invest, innovate and grow, giving millions of consumers access to mobile browsers which may be faster and more secure for use in their everyday lives.

Margot Daly, Chair of the CMA’s independent inquiry group, said:

Following our in-depth investigation, we have concluded that competition between different mobile browsers is not working well, and this is holding back innovation in the UK.

The analysis set out in our report and the range of potential interventions considered to address the market issues we have identified merits consideration by the CMA under its new powers, which have been specifically designed for digital markets. So, I welcome the CMA’s prompt action to open strategic market status investigations into both Apple and Google’s mobile ecosystems. The extensive analysis we’ve set out today will help that work as it progresses.

We have not found concerns in relation to the cloud gaming sector following significant changes made by Apple over the course of our market investigation, which look to have positive implications for competition in this market.

For more information, visit the Mobile Browsers and Cloud Gaming market investigation case page (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/mobile-browsers-and-cloud-gaming).

Notes to Editors

In November 2024, the inquiry group published its provisional decision report. This set out a series of concerns in the relevant mobile browser markets, which included how Apple’s rules restrict other competitors from being able to deliver new, innovative features that could benefit users.
- The CMA opened its investigation following its Mobile Ecosystems Market Study (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/mobile-ecosystems-market-study) in 2021, which found that Apple and Google have an effective duopoly on mobile ecosystems, including operating systems, app stores and web browsers on mobile devices. This puts Apple and Google in a position to set the rules on how mobile browsers can work on iOS and Android devices respectively.
- The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/13/contents) – which came into force in January 2025 – grants new responsibilities to the CMA to promote competition in digital markets through the new, forward-looking digital markets competition regime.
- Under the new regime, the CMA can – if warranted – impose legally binding conduct requirements (CRs) or pro-competition interventions (PCIs) on firms in relation to the digital activity for which they have been designated.
- The CMA launched (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-to-investigate-apple-and-googles-mobile-ecosystems) SMS investigations into Apple (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/sms-investigation-into-apples-mobile-ecosystem)’s and Google (https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/sms-investigation-into-googles-mobile-ecosystem)’s Mobile Ecosystems in January 2025.
- Other competition agencies considering mobile browsers include the European Commission (https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/gatekeepers_en) and the United States Department of Justice (https://www.justice.gov/atr/case/us-and-plaintiff-states-v-google-llc).
- For media enquiries, contact the CMA press office on xx-xxxx-xxxx or xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).