Mobile ecosystems market study

The Competition and Markets Authority has completed its market study into mobile ecosystems.

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 15 June 2021
• Last updated: 10 June 2022 — See all updates

• Case type: Markets
• Case state: Open
• Market sector: Communications, Electronics, Recreation and leisure
• Opened: 15 June 2021
• Closed: 10 June 2022

Administration Timetable

Date	Action
10 June 2022	Case closed
10 June 2022	Publication of final report and consultation on proposed market investigation reference
7 February 2022	Deadline for responses to the consultation on the interim report
14 December 2021	Publication of interim report and decision not to make a market investigation reference
26 July 2021	Deadline for responses to the invitation to comment on the statement of scope and app developer questionnaire
15 June 2021	Launch of the market study

Contacts

mobileecosystems@cma.gov.uk

Media enquiries

Any media enquiries should be directed to press@cma.gov.uk

Final report

4 August 2022: An updated version of the Accent report was uploaded to correct minor data and labelling errors. Footnote 364 in Chapter 4 of the main report has also been updated to correct for associated errors.

10 June 2022: We have published the final report of our market study into mobile ecosystems. This report sets out our findings, the concerns that we have identified, and our assessment of the range of potential interventions that could address them. The report also sets out the action the CMA will be taking now that study has concluded, including the proposal to make a market investigation reference.

• Summary of final report (10.6.22)
• Final report (10.6.22)
• Appendix A: the legal framework (10.6.22)
• Appendix B: market outcomes (10.6.22)
• Appendix C: financial analysis of Apple’s and Google’s mobile ecosystems (10.6.22)
• Appendix D: barriers to switching between mobile operating systems (10.6.22)
• Appendix E: Google’s agreements with device manufacturers and app developers (10.6.22)
• Appendix F: browser engines (10.6.22)
• Appendix G: pre-installation, default settings and choice architecture for mobile browsers (10.6.22)
• Appendix H: Apple’s and Google’s in-app purchase rules (10.6.22)
• Appendix I: Apple’s restrictions on cloud gaming (10.6.22)
• Appendix J: Apple’s and Google’s privacy changes (10.6.22)
• Appendix K: consumer experiences of app purchases and auto-renewing subscriptions to apps sold through the app stores (10.6.22)
• Appendix L: assessment of strategic market status (10.6.22)
• Appendix M: examples of practices that could be addressed by SMS Conduct Requirements Introduction (10.6.22)
• Appendix N: potential interventions to promote competition in native app distribution (10.6.22)
• CMA consumer research into purchasing behaviour in the UK smartphone market
• Press release: CMA plans market investigation into mobile browsers and cloud gaming (10.6.22)

Proposal to make a market investigation reference

Alongside our market study final report, the CMA is now also consulting on making a market investigation reference into the supply of mobile browsers and browser engines, and the distribution of cloud gaming services through app stores on mobile devices.

• Mobile browsers and cloud gaming case page

User survey: closed

We commissioned Accent, an independent research agency in the UK, to conduct a survey among UK smartphone owners to inform this market study. Please note that this survey has now closed.

Responses to Interim report

• A Third Party Developer (11.3.22)
• ACT The App Association (11.3.22)
• Anonymous A (11.3.22)
• Anonymous B (11.3.22)
• Anonymous C (11.3.22)
• Anonymous D (11.3.22)
• Apple (11.3.22)
• Basecamp (11.3.22)
• Bauer Media (11.3.22)
• BT Group PLC (11.3.22)
• Coalition for App Fairness (11.3.22)
• ControlZee (11.3.22)
• Developer - Alistair Shepherd (11.3.22)
• Developer - Andy Cowan (11.3.22)
• Developer - Bradley Taylor (11.3.22)
• Developer - Chris Haynes (11.3.22)
• Developer - Chris Jones (11.3.22)
• Developer - Gopal Venkatesan (11.3.22)
• Developer - Jack Peterson (11.3.22)
• Developer - Jeremy Keith (11.3.22)
• Developer - Jesper van den Ende (11.3.22)
• Developer - Kimberly Blessing (11.3.22)
• Developer - Luca Casonato (11.3.22)
• Developer - Luke Hubbard (11.3.22)
• Developer - Mark Johnson (11.3.22)
• Developer - Matt Perry (11.3.22)
• Developer - Niels Leenheer (11.3.22)
• Developer - Noam Rosenthal (11.3.22)
• Developer - Patrick Grey (11.3.22)
• Developer - Paul Neave (11.3.22)
• Developer - Steve Fenton (11.3.22)
• Developer - Thomas Allmer (11.3.22)
• Developer - Thomas Steiner (11.3.22)
• Developer A (11.3.22)
• Developer B (11.3.22)
• Developer C (11.3.22)
• Developer D (11.3.22)
• Developer E (11.3.22)
• Developer F (11.3.22)
• Developer G (11.3.22)
• Developer H (11.3.22)
• Developer I (11.3.22)
• Developer J (11.3.22)
• Developer K (11.3.22)
• Developers Alliance (11.3.22)
• Diana Montenegro (11.3.22)
• DMG Media (11.3.22)
• DuckDuckGo (11.3.22)
• Epic Games (11.3.22)
• European Publishers Council (11.3.22)
• FlickType (11.3.22)
• Google (11.3.22)
• Guardian Media Group (11.3.22)
• Konrad Kollnig, Reuben Binns, Nigel Shadbolt, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford (11.3.22)
• Match Group (11.3.22)
• Microsoft (11.3.22)
• Mobile UK (11.3.22)
• Movement for an Open Web (11.3.22)
• Mozilla (11.3.22)
• News Media Association (11.3.22)
• Online Music Streaming Service (11.3.22)
• Open Web Advocacy (11.3.22)
• Pinterest (11.3.22)
• Professional Publishers Association (11.3.22)
• Product Manager - Andreas Bovens (11.3.22)
• Proton AG (11.3.22)
• Schibsted ASA (11.3.22)
• Scirra Ltd (11.3.22)
• Yahoo (11.3.22)

Progress update

16 February 2022: The CMA has received a number of responses to our interim report and will be considering these carefully. There have also been 2 important developments relevant to our study; the CMA final decision to accept commitments to address its competition concerns regarding Google’s ‘Privacy Sandbox’ browser changes and Google’s announcement regarding similar proposed Android Privacy Sandbox changes.

• Progress update (16.2.22)

Interim report

14 December 2021: We have published an interim report in connection with our market study into mobile ecosystems. This report sets out our initial findings, the concerns that we have identified, and the range of potential interventions we have identified that could address them. We are inviting comments on our report by 5pm on 7 February 2022.

• Interim report
• Appendix A: the relevant legal framework (14.12.21)
• Appendix B: a summary of the responses to our statement of scope (14.12.21)
• Appendix C: market outcomes (14.12.21)
• Appendix D: financial analysis of Apple’s and Google’s mobile ecosystems (14.12.21)
• Appendix E: Google’s agreements with device manufacturers and app developers (14.12.21)
• Appendix F: understanding the role of browser engines (14.12.21)
• Appendix G: pre-installation, default settings, and choice architecture for mobile browsers (14.12.21)
• Appendix H: Apple’s and Google’s in-app purchase rules (14.12.21)
• Appendix I: considering the design and impacts on competition of Apple’s ATT framework (14.12.21)
• Appendix J: Barriers to switching (4.2.22)
• Press release: Apple and Google duopoly limits competition and choice (14.12.21)

Decision not to make a reference

Alongside its interim report, the CMA has also published a notice of its decision not to make a market investigation reference. This decision should not be interpreted as the CMA not having any competition concerns in this sector.

• Notice of decision not to make a market investigation reference (14.12.21)

Responses to Statement of Scope

• ACT The App Association (2.11.21)
• Apple (2.11.21)
• Bauer Media Group (2.11.21)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2.11.21)
• British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) (2.11.21)
• BT Group PLC (2.11.21)
• Centre for Competition Policy University of East Anglia (2.11.21)
• Coalition for App Fairness (2.11.21)
• Daniel Gabriel Whyatt 2.11.21)
• Developers Alliance (2.11.21)
• DMG Media (2.11.21)
• Diana Montenegro (2.11.21)
• Dr Greig Paul and Dr James Irvine (2.11.21)
• Geoff Moulds (2.11.21)
• Google (2.11.21)
• Hausfeld & Co LLP (2.11.21)
• Kelkoo Group (2.11.21)
• Konstantinos Stylianou (2.11.21)
• Mark Holmes (2.11.21)
• Marketers for an Open Web Limited (2.11.21)
• Masimo (2.11.21)
• Matthew Thomas (2.11.21)
• Oracle Corporation (2.11.21)
• Tile (2.12.21)
• Virgin Media 02 UK Limited (2.11.21)
• Vodafone UK (2.11.21)

Launch of market study

15 June 2021: The CMA has launched a market study into mobile ecosystems in the UK. We are assessing potential sources of harm to consumers within 4 broad themes:

• Theme 1: competition in the supply of mobile devices and operating systems.
• Theme 2: competition in the distribution of mobile apps.
• Theme 3: competition in the supply of mobile browsers and browser engines.
• Theme 4: the role of Apple and Google in competition between app developers.

We invited comments from interested parties on the issues raised in the statement of scope, which have now been published above.

• Market study notice (15.6.21)
• Statement of scope (15.6.21)
• Online questionnaire for app developers (15.6.21)
• Press release: CMA to scrutinise Apple and Google mobile ecosystems (15.6.21)

Personal information

The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its market studies under the Enterprise Act 2002. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

For more information about how the CMA handles personal information, see the CMA’s Personal Information Charter.

Published 15 June 2021
Last updated 10 June 2022 + show all updates

1. 10 June 2022

   Final report and Proposal to make a market investigation reference published.

2. 1 April 2022

   Update on user survey published.

3. 11 March 2022

   Responses to Interim report published.

4. 16 February 2022

   Progress update published.

5. 4 February 2022

   Additional appendices added for Interim Report.

6. 14 December 2021

   Interim report, with associated appendices, published.

7. 2 November 2021

   Responses to the statement of scope published.

8. 15 June 2021

   First published.