Apple Tells UK Regulators Its App Store Rules Are Too Intrusive
*Apple objects to CMA proposals that would let the regulator set commission levels and dictate which services can carry fees.*
Apple submitted formal comments to the UK's Competition and Markets Authority arguing that the agency's draft rules on App Store steering would give regulators direct control over pricing and product decisions. The company described the approach as "highly intrusive" and beyond the scope of competition enforcement.
What the CMA wants
The CMA is weighing requirements that would allow UK developers to link users to external payment systems. Apple currently blocks such links in the UK, even though similar steering is permitted under U.S. and EU App Store policies. Regulators have indicated Apple could still collect a commission, provided the fee is "fair and reasonable" and lower than current rates so that savings could reach users.
Apple's position
In its filing, Apple stated that the proposals would let the CMA "not only regulate Apple's prices, but also restrict the products and services for which Apple can charge a commission." The company said the measures amount to direct price regulation and go further than steps taken in other jurisdictions. AppleInsider and MacRumors both reported the same core objections from the submission.
Reactions
No other parties have released public responses to Apple's comments so far. The CMA consultation period has closed, and the agency has not indicated when it will issue final guidance.
The outcome will determine whether UK developers gain the same external-link flexibility already available in the United States and European Union. For Apple, the case tests how far national regulators can set specific commission levels and service boundaries without crossing into direct business oversight.
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