Apple pushes back against proposed UK App Store rules, calls CMA measures ‘highly intrusive’

Apple has criticized proposed changes to the UK’s App Store rules, arguing that new measures under consideration by the country’s competition regulator would amount to price regulation and give authorities an overly intrusive role in overseeing its business. The comments were made in Apple’s response to a consultation launched by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), according to Reuters.

The CMA is proposing new rules that would require Apple to allow developers to direct users to payment options outside the App Store. The regulator also wants any fees Apple charges for this type of “steering” to be fair and reasonable, saying the changes are intended to increase competition, lower costs, and give developers more flexibility.

In its submission, Apple argued that the proposals go beyond promoting competition and instead amount to direct regulation of pricing. The company said the measures would create a “highly intrusive” framework that would give the CMA broad authority over how it operates the App Store, warning that such intervention could reduce incentives to invest and innovate.

Apple also disputed the assumption that requiring alternative payment options would lead to lower prices for consumers. According to the company, the App Store facilitated more than £46.5 billion in UK sales during 2025, while commissions represented less than 3.5% of that total. Apple cited those figures to argue that its commission structure is not the primary factor determining consumer pricing.

The proposals form part of the CMA’s broader effort to regulate companies designated as having Strategic Market Status under the UK’s new digital markets regime. Apple and Google were designated under the framework in 2025, giving the regulator the power to introduce company-specific conduct requirements aimed at increasing competition in digital markets.

Not everyone agrees with Apple’s position. Reuters reported that the Coalition for App Fairness, whose members include companies that have challenged major app store policies, accused Apple of using its control over the App Store to restrict competition and argued that stronger regulatory intervention is necessary to create a more level playing field for developers.

The CMA’s consultation on the proposed rules has now concluded, and the regulator is expected to review feedback from Apple, developers, and other stakeholders before deciding whether to implement the new requirements. The outcome could further reshape how app developers distribute apps and process payments in the UK, following similar regulatory changes introduced in other markets. Reuters first reported Apple’s response to the consultation.