The UK government launched an investigation into Apple’s and Google’s mobile ecosystems over "concerns they have market power which is harming users and other businesses," a press release by the country's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) stated. "These companies now hold an effective duopoly over mobile operating systems: in 2020, the Apple iOS share of mobile operating systems in the UK was 52% and the Google Android share was 48%," the study's statement of scope said. "Apple and Google control the major gateways through which people download apps or browse the web on their mobiles – whether they want to shop, play games, stream music or watch TV. We’re looking into whether this could be creating problems for consumers and the businesses that want to reach people through their phones." — Andrea Coscelli, Chief Executive of the CMA said The study will be conducted over the next 12 months and the final report of this investigation will be published no later than 14 June 2022, CMA said. The authority is welcoming views from interested parties on the statement of scope by 26 July 2021. The competition authority has already been investigating Apple’s App Store and Google’s Privacy Sandbox proposals, these existing studies will fall within the scope of the new study on mobile ecosystems, but the new one is "much broader", the release stated. "Our ongoing work into big tech has already uncovered some worrying trends and we know consumers and businesses could be harmed if they go unchecked," Coscelli said.…
