Apple Pushes Back Heavily Against UK CMA’s Proposed App Store External Payment Steering Rules

Apple has filed a formal written objection to the new regulatory proposals released by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), sparking a direct dispute over the scope of digital platform supervision, payment commission rules and market competition mechanisms. The consultation window for the new policy closed on July 27, 2026, and Apple’s submission lays out comprehensive opposition to the planned overhaul of App Store payment restrictions.

Full Background of the CMA Regulatory Proposal

1. Regulatory Premise Back in October 2025, the CMA designated Apple and Google’s mobile operating systems and app marketplaces as entities holding “Strategic Market Status” under the UK Digital Markets Act. This designation empowers the watchdog to roll out targeted binding rules to break platform monopoly and boost fair competition across Britain’s digital ecosystem.
2. Core Rule Content In late June 2026, the CMA launched a public consultation on mandatory new requirements for Apple and Google’s app stores, with the core provision focused on lifting the ban on “payment steering”:

• Developers in the UK will be legally allowed to place in-app links and buttons to guide users to external websites, third-party payment gateways for digital goods, subscriptions and in-app purchases;
• Apple and Google can collect a reasonable commission for facilitating such off-platform transactions, yet all steering fees must be proven fair and below existing standard store commissions;
• The CMA predicts the lowered fee burden will either be passed to consumers via cheaper prices or reinvested by developers into product innovation.

1. Additional Interoperability Requirement The consultation also includes a secondary clause forcing Apple to open iPhone’s NFC Wallet system to rival payment service providers.

Apple’s Core Objections to the Proposed Regulation

In its official consultation response submitted on July 29, 2026, Apple raised multiple strong counterarguments:

1. Labels the policy as overreaching price regulation Apple claims the CMA’s framework amounts to “highly intrusive” government price control that exceeds the regulator’s competition oversight mandate. The proposal would not only cap the commission rates Apple can charge, but also restrict the full range of products and services eligible for platform commission revenue, interfering with Apple’s independent business pricing decisions.
2. Data evidence to challenge consumer benefit claims The company cited official statistics showing App Store generated £46.5 billion in total transaction volume within the UK market in 2025, with Apple’s overall average commission rate sitting below 3.5% of gross billings. Apple insists there is no credible evidence that opening external payment channels will drive down end-user prices.
3. Warns of risks to platform innovation and security Apple argued loosening payment guardrails would erode investment into iOS security, developer tooling and cross-platform product research, hindering long-term technological innovation for both Apple and UK app creators.

Counterviews from the CMA and Developer Coalition

1. CMA’s official rebuttal The competition authority publicly rejected Apple’s accusation of price regulation. It clarified the draft rules only establish objective, evidence-based fairness benchmarks for steering fees, rather than imposing fixed mandatory price ceilings on platform commissions. The CMA’s core goal remains expanding payment options for both developers and British consumers.
2. Statement from Coalition for App Fairness Gene Burrus, representative of the Coalition for App Fairness, stated Apple is abusing its gatekeeper market power to secure unfair commercial advantages by blocking affordable off-platform payment paths for developers.

Next Regulatory Process

The CMA will now analyze all feedback collected throughout the consultation period, including Apple’s formal complaint, before releasing a final binding regulatory decision later in 2026. Unlike the EU’s Digital Markets Act which has already enforced external payment rules, the UK’s digital market supervision framework is still in its final drafting phase, and the outcome of this case will set a precedent for future mobile platform regulation across the country.