Apple may have to open its walled garden to outside app stores

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has ruled that both Google and Apple hold a “strategic market status,” effectively granting them a monopoly over their mobile platforms, which could force Apple to allow rival app stores on iPhones. If the change is enforced, it would reshape the experience of most UK smartphone users, with around 90–100% of UK mobile devices reportedly running on Apple or Google platforms, according to the CMA.

The article notes that about 48.5% of British consumers use iPhones, with the remainder on Android, based on BBC-sourced analyst data. Apple has pushed back, arguing that EU-style regulation could limit access to new features, pointing to Apple Intelligence which is not available in the EU due to regulation.

For developers, the potential shift could ease the 15–30% commission on in‑app purchases and open alternative distribution routes, though Apple warns that relaxing control could weaken privacy standards and delay feature updates. The piece also discusses security implications, emphasising that Apple’s closed App Store model currently screens all submissions, while regulators and developers will need to ensure transparent review and data-handling practices if new marketplaces emerge.