Apple has filed an appeal against the UK’s competition watchdog regarding its dominance of mobile browsers in the cloud gaming market, reports Reuters. The Competition and Markets Authority started investigating this dominance by the Cupertino firm and Google.
Lawyers representing Apple believe the investigation should be reviewed as CMA missed timing requirements linked to the launch of an inquiry.
“Apple seeks 1) an Order that the MIR Decision is quashed. 2) a declaration that the MIR Decision and market investigation purportedly launched by reference to it are invalid and of no legal effect,” the filing with the Appeal Tribunal showed.
The CMA, on the other hand, said it’s going to defend its position as it “opened this investigation to make sure that UK consumers get a better choice of mobile web services and that UK developers can invest in innovative mobile content and services.”
According to the Competition Appeal Tribunal website, there will be a preliminary hearing about mobile browser dominance on Tuesday.
Background
In November, the UK’s Competition and Market Authority started investigating whether Apple and Google have an “effective” duopoly on the mobile ecosystem that “allows them to exercise a stranglehold over operating systems, app stores, and web browsers on mobile devices.”
This investigation is based on the Mobile Ecosystem Market Study report. According to the UK’s watchdog, 97% of all mobile web browsing in Great Britain in 2021 happened on browsers powered by either Apple’s or Google’s browser engine, meaning that “any restrictions on these engines can have a major impact on users’ experiences.”
Currently, there are more than 800,000 users of cloud gaming services in the UK. Based on the consultation of the CMA survey with browser vendors, web developers, and cloud gaming service providers, Apple and Google duopoly are “harming their businesses, holding back innovation, and adding unnecessary costs.”
At the time, the CMA believed that, ultimately, these restrictions limit choice and may make it more challenging to bring innovative new apps to the hands of UK consumers.
Apple and Google say that restrictions are needed to protect users.