Apple and Google in hot waters after UK investigation concludes both companies are holding back innovation in mobile browsers

Apple and Google are facing some heat in the UK. A recent investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that these tech giants are stifling innovation in mobile browsers. That’s bad news for anyone who uses a smartphone to surf the web, which is pretty much all of us.

The CMA dug into how mobile browsers work on iPhones and Android devices. On iPhones, Apple has a tight grip. They force every browser to use their WebKit engine, the same one that powers Safari. This rule stops competitors like Chrome or Firefox from bringing their own tech to the table. It limits what those browsers can offer in terms of speed or cool new features. Plus, Safari comes pre-installed and set as the default on every iPhone. Most people don’t even know they can switch it out.

Google isn’t off the hook either. Chrome is the default browser on most Android phones. While Android is more open than iOS, the investigation still found that Google’s setup gives Chrome an edge over other options. Moreover, Google pays Apple a hefty sum to be the default search engine on Safari. That deal means neither company has much reason to push each other to improve.

Why should you care? Competition drives progress. Without it, Apple and Google aren’t pressed to make browsers faster or safer. That’s a problem for users and businesses who rely on the web every day.

The good news? The investigation cleared Apple on cloud gaming. They made some changes during the probe that the CMA says are helping competition there. But mobile browsers are a different story.

The CMA has some ideas to fix this mess. They want Apple to let other browser engines onto iPhones. They also suggest both companies show users a choice screen when setting up a new device. Oh, and that revenue-sharing deal? They’d like to see it gone. These fixes aren’t in place yet, though. It depends on whether the CMA labels Apple and Google as having “strategic market status” under new UK laws. That decision is still in the works, with separate investigations launched in January.

As The Verge reported, both companies have tweaked things a bit recently, making it easier to switch browsers. But the CMA says it’s not enough. Margot Daly, who led the investigation, put it bluntly: “Competition between different mobile browsers is not working well, and this is holding back innovation in the UK.”

This isn’t just a UK problem. The European Union has similar rules in play, like their Digital Markets Act, cracking down on big tech. The US is also keeping an eye on these giants, but recently called out the EU for targeting its companies. Although, at the same time, the DOJ still wants Google to sell off Chrome and has proposed some “remedies” that even have Mozilla pushing back. We’ll just have to wait and see how Google and Apple respond to the CMA’s report.

Featured image AI-generated with Grok