Apple Rejects UK App Store Steering Rules as 'Highly Intrusive'
*Apple told UK regulators that proposed App Store changes would let the Competition and Markets Authority dictate pricing and product decisions.*
Apple filed comments with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority objecting to rules that would require the company to allow developers to steer users toward external payment options. The CMA is weighing measures similar to those already in place in the European Union, which would let developers link outside the App Store and potentially reduce Apple's commissions.
Under the current UK rules, developers cannot direct customers to alternative payment methods. The CMA has indicated it would permit Apple to charge a fee for such links, but only if the fee is fair, reasonable, and lower than existing App Store rates so that savings could reach users. Apple said the proposals go further than competition goals and amount to direct regulation of its service pricing.
In its submission, Apple argued that the CMA would not only set prices but also decide which products and services qualify for any commission at all. The company described the oversight as "highly intrusive" and beyond what is needed to promote competition. Developers in the United States and the European Union already operate under steering allowances that the UK has not yet adopted.
The filing marks Apple's clearest public stance against expanding the CMA's role in App Store operations. Regulators have not yet issued final decisions, and Apple has not detailed any alternative remedies it would accept.
The proposals would force Apple to redesign checkout flows and revenue systems for the UK market alone. For developers, the outcome determines whether they can offer lower prices through external payments without violating store terms. For Apple, acceptance would set a precedent for similar demands in other jurisdictions still studying the EU model.
Why it matters
Apple's objection centers on control rather than the principle of external links. If the CMA proceeds, the company loses the ability to set uniform commission rates across markets and must instead negotiate or litigate what counts as a "fair" fee on a per-product basis. That shift would increase compliance costs and reduce the predictability that has let Apple maintain a single global App Store policy. The CMA's next steps will show whether UK regulators intend to treat the App Store as a regulated utility or continue to treat it as a private platform subject to narrower competition rules.
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