UK investigates Apple and Google for allegedly controlling phone usage

Google and Apple control how people use cell phones, eliminating any significant choice from the system and potentially increasing costs, Britain’s competition regulator said on Tuesday.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it found that the two companies were able to leverage their market power by creating self-sufficient ecosystems that make it difficult for customers to migrate to another operating system.

The regulator said it would review its initial findings and would seek answers by February 7 next year, with the expectation of issuing a final report in June.

The British official says the two companies have developed similar systems that allow “to control how we use cell phones”.

“We fear this is causing harm to millions of people across the UK,” said CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli.

Chris Philp, the technology and digital economy minister, said Britain’s “new pro-competition regime” would level competition between tech giants and small businesses.

Apple says its ecosystems provide security and privacy, allowing companies to sell products and create jobs. “Apple believes in thriving and dynamic markets where innovation can flourish,” said the American company.

Google said that Android gives people more options than any mobile platform in deciding which apps and app stores to use.

The company, which is owned by Alphabet, added that its ecosystem supported nearly 250,000 jobs in Britain and, as a result of the recent changes, 99% of developers qualified for a service charge of 15% or less.

The CMA report presented a number of options, including making it easier for users to switch between Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android phones without losing functionality or data.

The agency is looking into whether users can install apps by methods other than Apple’s App Store or Google’s Play Store.