UK Takes Softer Stance on Apple and Google, Diverging From Stricter EU Rules

LONDON — Britain’s competition regulator will not impose strict new mandates on Apple and Google’s app stores, opting instead to accept voluntary commitments from the tech giants.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced it reached an agreement with the companies to address concerns over app review processes, search rankings, data usage, and interoperability. The deal aims to ensure third-party developers are treated fairly.

However, a former CMA director criticized the decision, characterizing the new rules as mere suggestions that lack legal binding.

The U.K.'s approach marks a significant departure from the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which forced Apple to implement sweeping changes to its ecosystem. Both Apple and Google welcomed the British agreement.

The CMA stated it will monitor performance metrics, such as app rejection rates and developer complaints, to evaluate the effectiveness of the deal. The regulator remains open to imposing stricter requirements if the voluntary measures fail to produce results.

Some observers suggest the U.K. is adopting a softer regulatory stance to avoid potential friction with the Trump administration.

Britain’s recent regulatory pivot underscores a deepening strategic divide in how Western powers manage the ascendancy of Big Tech. While the European Union has doubled down on a policy of direct confrontation through the rigid mandates of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), London is leveraging its post-Brexit autonomy to pursue a more pragmatic, "commitment-based" model.

This flexible framework allows the UK to assert oversight while avoiding the prescriptive, heavy-handed rules that risk alienating Silicon Valley and, more critically, provoking a backlash from Washington.

The geopolitical timing is significant. With the Trump administration expected to adopt a fiercely protectionist stance regarding American tech champions, the stakes for digital diplomacy have never been higher. French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent warning that the U.S. could "attack" Europe over its digital regulations highlights the fragility of the current climate. By opting for a more conciliatory path, the UK appears to be prioritizing its economic and political ties with the United States, effectively insulating itself from a broader transatlantic trade war.

Ultimately, this move is a calculated attempt to brand London as a more open and attractive tech hub than Brussels. However, the long-term efficacy of this "light-touch" approach remains an open question. Its success depends entirely on the voluntary cooperation of giants like Apple and Google, and whether British regulators possess the political will to sharpen their teeth should these corporate commitments fail to materialize.