On Thursday, Apple stated that Britain’s intentions to increase competition in the market for mobile operating systems might hurt developers and customers and perhaps compel the business to give away its technology to overseas rivals.
To give the U.S. tech companies strategic market status over their duopoly, Britain’s competition regulator last month ordered Apple and Google, the owner of Android, to distribute apps on their mobile platforms more fairly. The regulator also outlined potential interventions.
Apple said that a designation of this kind from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of Britain would compromise security and privacy safeguards and impede industry innovation.
An Apple representative stated, “We’re concerned that these EU-style rules the UK is advancing are bad for users and bad for developers.”
“This approach undermines the privacy and security protections our users have come to expect, hampers our ability to innovate, and forces us to give away our technology for free to foreign competitors.”
The regulator would be able to enforce behavioral guidelines to encourage fair competition if Apple and Google were granted strategic market status.
In October, the CMA is expected to render a final verdict.
According to Apple, the CMA’s sector roadmap places a high priority on interoperability, which calls for Apple to improve the compatibility of its systems with apps and services from third parties.
Additionally, it emphasizes “steering,” which would enable developers to guide consumers to buy products from sources other than the Apple App Store.
According to the business, these modifications may make consumers more vulnerable to fraud and limit its capacity to make investments in cutting-edge technology.
Citing scant survey data and developer comments, it also questioned the CMA’s evidence base.
Apple acknowledged that it faces competition from firms like Google and Samsung but cautioned that the regulator’s plans would create an unfair playing field.
Britain’s approach to digital market regulation differs significantly from the EU model, according to a CMA spokeswoman, allowing for greater customization of solutions that are both reasonable and useful for consumers and businesses.
“Driving greater competition on mobile platforms need not undermine privacy, security, or intellectual property,” added the statement.
