United Kingdom investigates Google’s app store requirements

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Google’s app store – The British competition authority opens an investigation into the requirements that Google imposes on apps offered in its Play Store. The research mainly revolves around the condition that purchases within apps may only be settled via Google’s own payment system.

According to the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), this could amount to distortions of competition. Commercial apps within the Play Store, the app store for Google’s Android operating system, usually have to pay a 15 percent commission on all payments processed by Google.

Earlier, the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) announced a preliminary investigation into Google’s payment requirements. The British have already continued with their investigation and speak of “enforcement measures” that they want to take.

Do Google and Apple have a “duopoly”?

The CMA also announced on Friday that it would dive deeper into the market power that Google and Apple have together in the market for mobile internet browsers. The two American tech companies actually have a “duopoly” in this area, writes the regulator after a preliminary investigation. This, according to the CMA, gives them the ability to keep this market, including operating systems, web browsers and mobile phones, in a “stranglehold”.

According to the market watchdog, Apple restricts access to games that can be streamed via the cloud. With that, the tech company would like to favor games that have to be downloaded, because they are more lucrative for Apple. This would throttle a new, innovative form of gaming.

Apple says it “disagrees” on a number of conclusions of the CMA. “The conclusions do not take into account our investments in innovation, privacy and user-friendliness. This gives small users a level playing field and creates fair competition,” Apple told Reuters news agency.

Google’s app store requirements

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