'Apple and Google are anti-competitive in the mobile browser market,' UK regulators report
In recent years, crackdowns on antitrust violations against major technology companies have become more stringent, and regulators are investigating possible antitrust violations in various areas. Meanwhile, the
CMA plans market investigation into mobile browsers and cloud gaming --GOV.UK
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-plans-market-investigation-into-mobile-browsers-and-cloud-gaming
Cloud gaming ban on the App Store is anticompetitive
https://9to5mac.com/2022/06/10/cloud-gaming/
UK to Probe Apple, Google Over Alleged'Duopoly' of Mobile Browser Market | PCMag
https://www.pcmag.com/news/uk-to-probe-apple-google-over-alleged-duopoly-of-mobile-browser-market
Apple and Google are deploying two major mobile operating systems, iOS and Android, respectively, and there are no other strong rivals in the mobile operating system market, so regulators have long said that Apple and Google have the advantage of mobile operating systems. I suspect that they are taking advantage of this to limit competition and engage in anti-competitive behavior. '
CMA has released a year-long survey of Apple and Google's mobile ecosystem, reporting that they have found duopoly activity in the mobile ecosystem. 'When it comes to how people use mobile phones, Apple and Google hold all the cards,' said Andrea Coscelli, CMA Secretary. 'Many products and services from both companies are excellent and mobile ecosystems. With strong control over the system, it is possible to keep out competitors, which is squeezing British tech companies and narrowing their options. '
CMA fears that if it does not immediately intervene in the mobile ecosystems of both companies, it will further strengthen its market power and limit its incentives for competition and market innovation. Therefore, CMA cites 'mobile browser' and 'access to cloud gaming services' as targets that can be immediately intervened by using the authority at the time of writing the article.
In mobile browsers, CMA is paying attention to an HTML rendering engine that interprets data on web pages and displays text and images on the screen. According to a CMA survey, 97% of mobile web browsing in the UK in 2021 will be done with Apple or Google rendering engines.
In particular, Apple has banned browsers that use rendering engines other than WebKit to control the experience of web apps. The CMA said it was concerned that this limitation would make it harder for rival browsers to outperform Safari in terms of speed and functionality, limiting development incentives for mobile browsers running on iOS. increase. CMA also argued that the pre-installed Chrome on Android and Safari on iOS also add to the advantages of both companies.
In addition, CMA considers that cloud gaming services violate the guidelines in the App Store, which is Apple's app store. Apple claims that cloud gaming services cannot be allowed to be distributed on the App Store because the App Store cannot individually review the game titles to be distributed.
Apple announces that cloud gaming services such as Project xCloud and Stadia will not work on iOS because they violate App Store guidelines-GIGAZINE
CMA said, 'Cloud gaming services, like web apps, are a developing innovation that provides mobile access to high-quality games that are streamed rather than individual downloads. Gaming apps are an important source of revenue for Apple. Cloud gaming can pose a real threat to Apple's strong position in app distribution. Apple runs the risk of mobile users losing the benefits of cloud gaming by hindering growth in this area. ' doing.
Based on the results of this market research, CMA will continue discussions until July 22, 2022 to further evaluate competitive concerns and determine what action is appropriate. As a result, it may issue legally binding orders to Apple and Google.
Related Posts:
in Mobile, Web Service, Posted by log1h_ik