London, Tuesday, 14 December 2021
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the U.K. noted on Tuesday that Apple’s and Google’s duopoly, limits competition as well as consumer choice.
In a statement, the CMA said: "When someone buys a mobile device, they essentially enter either Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android ecosystem. As a result, Apple and Google are able to control how online content, such as mobile apps and websites, is provided to users".
In its report about mobile ecosystems, the CMA said that users are “losing out”, adding that this type of behaviour leads to less competition and meaningful choice for customers.
CMA Chief Executive, Andrea Coscelli said in a statement. "Apple and Google have developed a vice-like grip over how we use mobile phones," "Any intervention must tackle the firms’ substantial market power across the key areas of operating systems, app stores and browsers. We think that the best way to do this is through the Digital Markets Unit when it receives powers from government.”
In April, the Digital Markets Unit was launched in the U.K. as a new regulatory body, which aims to monitor and investigate any anticompetitive behaviour among the tech giants, while trying to keep a healthy environment of competition where market dominance by the tech giants will not force competitors out.
The CMA stated it has "provisionally" found that Apple and Google have been able to leverage their market power to create mostly self-contained ecosystems. "As a result, it is extremely difficult for any other firm to enter and compete meaningfully with a new system."
The CMA seems to be actively monitoring this case as this latest report comes after an inquiry earlier this year about concerns that Apple and Google have too much control on operating systems.
(Research and edit by: The Decision Maker)
