Apple is poised to encounter antitrust scrutiny in the UK regarding Safari being set as the default web browser on the iPhone. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of the UK has preliminarily determined that Apple misuses its dominance over iPhone applications.
This situation may compel Apple to undertake similar measures to those implemented in the EU – allowing users to select their preferred default web browser upon setting up a new iPhone…
Default Web Browsers
When initializing a new iPhone, Safari is established as the default web browser, similar to how Chrome is the default on Android devices. Apple has taken the extra step of imposing requirements that competing web browsers must utilize the same core web engine as Safari. This decision effectively hinders other browsers from introducing features not supported by Safari and limits their speed.
Last year, the EU concluded that this practice was anti-competitive, leading Apple to respond with updates in iOS 17.4, prompting iPhone users to select their browser during the initial setup.
Nonetheless, Apple restricted this implementation to iPhones within the EU. The UK’s competition authorities have now provisionally arrived at the same conclusions as those in the EU, indicating that this practice stifles innovation by preventing alternative browsers from surpassing Safari.
The authority has provisionally identified that Apple’s regulations inhibit competitors from delivering innovative features that could benefit consumers. Other browser developers have voiced concerns that they are unable to present a comprehensive suite of browser functionalities, like faster webpage loading on iPhone. Many smaller app developers in the UK have expressed a desire to utilize progressive web apps—an alternative means for businesses to offer applications to mobile users without going through an app store—but this technology has not managed to gain traction on iOS devices.
Google Deal May Also Be Illegal in the UK
Apple receives approximately $20 billion annually from Google to be the default search engine on Safari. Earlier this summer, a US federal judge determined that this arrangement is illegal, as it grants Google an unfair advantage in the search market.
The CMA appears likely to concur with this assessment in the UK.
Moreover, the authority has provisionally concluded that a revenue-sharing agreement between Google and Apple significantly diminishes their financial motivations to compete in mobile browsers on iOS.
No Issues with Cloud Gaming
The CMA was also assessing whether Apple’s monopoly on cloud gaming applications was lawful. However, with the company’s revised policy allowing third-party services to provide these, the CMA has stated that this is no longer a concern.
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