Australia's competition regulator on Tuesday announced that it will investigate mobile app stores as part of its ongoing inquiries into digital platforms. It will examine issues including the use and sharing of data by apps and the extent of competition between Google and Apple's app stores. It will also see whether pricing in Australia's mobile apps markets needs to be more transparent. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is thus seeking comments on a newly released issues paper until October 2. Based on the responses, the ACCC will release a report on app marketplaces in March 2021. The issues paper noted that its focus was primarily on Apple and Google's app stores, but it welcomed views on all app marketplaces. In a statement, ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard noted that apps had been become essential for businesses for both people and businesses, a trend that is likely to have increased during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. She said that a spot on major app stores was crucial for the businesses of app developers and suppliers, and fail to do so was a major setback. "We are keen to provide greater transparency on how this process works," she said. Marketplace conduct and 'ecosystem' traps: Issues raised by ACCC Do app store/OS ecosystems trap consumers? The ACCC noted that both Google and Apple, along with their app stores, offer a range of services such as e-mail, software such as operating systems, tools to build apps and services that help app providers monetise…
