Apple's Browser Rules Stifle Innovation on iOS, Says UK Regulator

[MacRumors]

Apple's restrictions on mobile browsers are limiting innovation and holding back new features that could benefit iPhone users, according to provisional findings published today by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

In its report, the CMA's independent inquiry group determined that Apple's Safari browser policies prevent competing browsers from implementing certain features, such as faster webpage loading technologies. The investigation also revealed that many UK app developers would prefer to offer progressive web apps as an alternative to App Store distribution, but Apple's current iOS limitations make this impractical.

Adding to competitive concerns, the regulator highlighted a revenue-sharing agreement between Apple and Google that "significantly reduces their financial incentives to compete" in the mobile browser space on iOS. The CMA also found that both companies can manipulate how users are presented with browser choices, making their own offerings appear as the clearest or easiest options.

"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," said Margot Daly, chair of the CMA's independent inquiry group.

The investigation initially covered both mobile browsers and cloud gaming concerns, but the CMA has decided not to pursue action regarding cloud gaming, noting that Apple has already addressed the primary issue by beginning to allow cloud gaming apps on the App Store.

In its summary of provisional decision, the regulator is recommending that these findings be addressed through the UK's upcoming Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, which takes effect in January 2025. This legislation will give the CMA new powers to designate firms as having "Strategic Market Status" and impose appropriate interventions to promote competition.

The CMA is accepting public comments on its provisional findings until December 13, with a final decision expected in March 2025. Similar investigations into mobile browser competition are currently being conducted by the European Commission and the United States Department of Justice.

Update: Apple provided MacRumors with the following statement:

"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 disagree with the findings in the report regarding Safari, WebKit, and in-app browsing on iOS. 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 maintains that it fosters robust competition by offering a variety of WebKit-based third-party browsers on the App Store that compete alongside Safari, and that settings are included in iOS that allow users to easily switch their default browser.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple's Browser Rules Stifle Innovation on iOS, Says UK Regulator

 

[Tago]

By their take on things, the practice should strengthen other platforms like Android, Android derivates, Sailfish or whatever and thereby enhance the overall competition.

If dominance in the browser segment is an issue, they probably would do a better job if they had a look at Google`s dominance with chrome/engine, and how they dominate advertising.

Keeping iOS tight is beneficial for all sorts of reasons including safety and privacy. One would be a fool thinking that privacy is yours by using iOS, the name of the game is the lesser evil, and iOS is. Unless the likes of Sailfish actually do what they promise.

 

[Koudspeel]

Better pull out of the UK, Apple

 

[wanha]

The UK's laws and regulations stifle innovation, too, but somehow they don't seem concerned about that...

Sincerely,
The Devil's Advocate

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

Ok the new administration is going to stop all this nonsense. Regulators trying to justify their “job” is over. When the biggest market in the world starts to fight back then suddenly everyone plays nice again. Whether it’s right or wrong US Nationalism is back and the EU,UK bullying is done. “Hey Spotify your big brother is about to get punched in the mouth”

 

[DelayedGratificationGene]

No wonder why Gurman said Apple is probably relieved Trump won. This overseas bullying must end.

 

[cjsuk]

I really wish they would stop going after these trivial issues and look at the whole picture. Nothing works without some cloud provider's APIs these days, which are usually private, incomplete or undocumented.

I care more that my notes in Apple Notes have no programming interface than I do if I can't run a different browser engine. Same with Reminders etc.

 

[klasma]

This overseas bullying must end.

You are right, I feel bullied by Apple and I hope it will end.

 

[jayducharme]

It’s interesting to me that regulators are so focused on tech company monopolies and yet don’t seemed too concerned about the plethora of other monopolies that more directly affect our day-to-day lives.

 

[ThailandToo]

You are right, I feel bullied by Apple and I hope it will end.

Agree, I cannot wait until regulation kicks it where it belongs. We can have an Apple that cares about all stakeholders not just the shareholders and executive team.

 

[wanha]

No wonder why Gurman said Apple is probably relieved Trump won. This overseas bullying must end.

imo it's not bullying. It's just over-zealous and incompetent regulating that EU does to its own companies and citizens too.

 

[Aoligei]

Better pull out of the UK, Apple

And EU, China, USA, Malaysia as well

 

[Edsel]

Maybe the UK regulators/government will develop and mandate their own government browser for use by all UK internet users. Hence, when you perform a browser search, the search term will first be reviewed and cleared by a government panel of bureaucrats. The panel will be required to approve, or disapprove, the search term request within 30 days. That sounds fair, right?

 

[Jamie0003]

No wonder why Gurman said Apple is probably relieved Trump won. This overseas bullying must end.

lol because Apple is such a tiny fish in a big pond

 

[WarmWinterHat]

And EU, China, USA, Malaysia as well

..and Japan as they now require 3rd party app stores. India is looking into similar regulations, too.

 

[clayj]

The only contribution the UK and Europe seem to make to technology anymore is unneeded regulation.

 

[Lihp8270]

No wonder why Gurman said Apple is probably relieved Trump won. This overseas bullying must end.

I assume the US will allow foreign companies to operate within the US with no regard for US law?

 

[uacd]

No wonder why Gurman said Apple is probably relieved Trump won. This overseas bullying must end.

It was pretty much obvious to anyone except the sold-out pollsters and left-leaning pundits that he will win. I knew that half of the Silicon Valley investors actually endorsed him. Gurman again tells the obvious🤣

I bet Tim is gonna be happy like a child who receives Christmas present when Don will finally visit the Infinite Loop next year

 

[klasma]

The only contribution the UK and Europe seem to make to technology anymore is unneeded regulation.

Arm is still headquartered in the UK, and Apple is buying EU companies all the time, like Pixelmator most recently.

 

[gigapocket1]

This is just too much.. The only thing they need to be going after is iCloud... No reason that this cant be self hosted at my house through HomeKit with a compatible Mac or Nas....

 

[laptech]

I can see there are many members who do not want see innovation due to them complaining about the UK regulator. I look at the raspberry PI and the thousands upon thousands of designers, engineers, programmers, inventors creating things for the PI because the company behind the raspberry PI wants that kind of thing to happen. There is none of this 'we cannot do this for the PI because the company has restricted x,y and z. Apple is completely different. There are thousands of app developers, web developers, browser developers who say they can do this for this and can do that for the iphone but they can't because Apple put restrictions in place preventing innovation to take place.

Remember the iphone jailbreaking community? innovation being taken to it's fullest as to what can be done with iOS with many MR members in awe at what can be achieved and them saying 'I wish that feature was available on the iphone, I wish that function was available on the iphone, I wish that app was available on the iphone', but they are not because Apple put's restrictions in place on what can be done with iOS.

Apple only wants innovation if it is them doing the innovation. When others want to do it, Apple put's restrictions in place. THIS is why the UK and EU constantly goes after Apple.

 

[ItsASpider]

Better pull out of the UK, Apple

By this logic they might as well close up shop because every other country and economic block is doing this as well. Maybe... just maybe... if everyone is reaching the same conclusion, then Apple is at fault and people should stop trying to defend the behavior.

 

[960design]

Get some UK!
iPhone application development the way Jobs wanted it from the beginning.

 

[wanha]

By this logic they might as well close up shop because every other country and economic block is doing this as well. Maybe... just maybe... if everyone is reaching the same conclusion, then Apple is at fault and people should stop trying to defend the behavior.

I think "fault" is not a useful word to use here; rather, governments all over are seeing the same problems that they want to address because of the gatekeeper role of Apple's (and Alphabet and Meta's) platforms.

To make the argument even more clear, having a monopoly isn't a company's fault, but it has its problems that need to regulated.

 

[threesixty360]

How much innovation is there in the windows browser market?
There is really just Chromium/blink right now. Even MS’s Edge is based on chromium.
The only browser competition in the world comes from iOS/macOS safari.

So is the windows world the utopia? less actual competition not more?
I don’t get it? Without iOS there would be near zero browser competition.

And also, no one makes money making browser engines. So what innovation is going to happen (or has happened?) outside of chromium?

The PWA thing is a security implementation problem. Something that some mobile device companies take more seriously than others. Surely that’s a consumer choice? I want the most secure phone possible right? Unless the eu thinks consumers don’t have the right to buy a secure product?