UK Regulator Probes Apple’s Mobile Browser Dominance

The U.K.’s competition regulator has raised concerns about Apple’s dominance in the mobile browser market.

The Competition and Markets Authority said on Nov. 22 that Apple restricts competition by limiting the use of rival browsers on its iOS devices and effectively requiring developers to use its WebKit browser engine. This could stifle innovation among competitors, leading to reduced choice for consumers.

Currently, any browser available for iOS must use WebKit. The CMA report says WebKit limits the ways browser providers can differentiate from one another. It also claims that third-party browsers built with WebKit do not have the same level of access and functionality as Safari.

Browser competition ‘holding back innovation’ in the UK, according to CMA executive

Third-party browser developers told the CMA that they have been unable to offer certain privacy and security features or faster webpage loading due to these restrictions. They have also been held back from creating so-called “progressive web apps,” low-cost apps that are built using web platform technologies and don’t have to be downloaded through an app store.

Apple also limits the amount of traffic and customisation options available for in-app browsing in third-party apps.

Margot Daly, chair of the CMA’s independent inquiry group, said in a press release: “Markets work best when rival businesses are able to develop and bring innovative options to consumers. Through our investigation, we have provisionally found that competition between different mobile browsers is not working well and this is holding back innovation in the UK.”

Other issues the watchdog picked up include a dubious agreement between Google and Apple, meaning they both earn significant revenue when their rival’s browser, Chrome or Safari, is used on iOS. Such revenue sharing reduces their incentive to compete with each other.

Apple and Google can also manipulate their respective browser choice screens, which allow users to choose their default internet browser for opening links, to make Safari and Chrome the clearest or easiest options.

SEE: Apple’s Geo-Blocking Practices Could Violate EU Rules

The investigation was opened in 2021 when the CMA ruled that Apple and Google have an “effective duopoly on mobile ecosystems, including operating systems, app stores and web browsers on mobile devices.”

The watchdog is exploring potential mitigations, including forcing Apple to loosen its browser engine restrictions. The report provisionally recommends that the CMA prioritise its investigation into Apple and Google’s duopoly under the new Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act, which will come into force early next year.

Relevant parties can now comment on the inquiry groups’ provisional findings, and the final decision will be published in February or March 2025.

Google and Apple maintain they support competition in the mobile browser market but will comply with the probe

A Google spokesperson told TechRepublic: “Android’s openness has helped to expand choice, reduce prices, and democratize access to smartphones and apps. We remain committed to open platforms that empower consumers and help developers build successful businesses and we will continue to engage constructively with the CMA on these matters in the months ahead.”

Meanwhile, Apple “disagree[s] with the findings in the report regarding Safari, WebKit, and in-app browsing on iOS,” according to a spokesperson. They told TechRepublic that “Apple believes in thriving and dynamic markets where innovation can flourish. We face competition in every segment and jurisdiction where we operate, and our focus is always the trust of our users.

“We are concerned that the interventions discussed in the report for future consideration under the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act would undermine user privacy and security and hinder our ability to make the kind of technology that sets Apple apart. We will continue to engage constructively with the CMA as their work on this matter progresses.”

Apple also claims that allowing non-Safari browsers on iOS and enabling users to choose their default browser ensures ongoing competition.

It has previously defended its policies regarding WebKit, arguing that “‘mandating use of third-party rendering engines on iOS would break the integrated privacy, security, and performance model of iOS devices” in response to a 2022 report from the CMA into its mobile ecosystem.

The report’s authors also said that, by requiring apps to use WebKit, Apple “is able to address security and privacy issues across all browsers on the iPhone for all iPhone users, quickly and effectively.”

In the E.U., browser engines other than WebKit can be used to build browsers for iOS and iPadOS due to the Digital Markets Act. The Cupertino giant made a policy change in January 2024 to comply with its requirements that it enables “browsers operating on iOS to use a browser engine other than WebKit” and provides “equivalent access to key features and functionalities that Safari has access to.”

Apple also introduced a pop-up browser choice screen for E.U. consumers, appearing the first time Safari opens after updating the iPhone to iOS 17.4, when the DMA came into force in March. Initially, the alternatives to Safari were not made clear enough in the list of options, so Apple had to make some changes in August.

Global regulators are holding Big Tech accountable for stifling competition

The CMA’s move is a part of a broader investigation into mobile ecosystems as regulators worldwide increase scrutiny of tech giant’s market power.

Apple has also been in the crosshairs of European regulators and the U.K. In June, the company was charged with violating the DMA for several reasons, including not making it easy enough for developers to steer their customers to purchase options outside the app which do not financially benefit Apple. The Commission also launched a non-compliance investigation into whether Apple discourages developers from hosting their iOS apps on third-party platforms.

In August, Apple announced it would allow E.U. users to delete pre-installed apps on iOS 18 to comply with the DMA. It also made the browser choice screen clearer and expanded several default apps that third-party versions can replace.