The Competition and Markets Authority has updated its programme of work on Apple and Google’s mobile platforms, giving UK app developers, fintech firms and digital SMEs a clearer signal of the areas that may shape mobile markets in 2026.
The update matters because mobile operating systems, app stores, browsers and in-app transaction rules can affect how smaller firms reach customers, take payments, use data and build new services. For many SMEs, the practical issue is not competition law in the abstract. It is whether platform rules make a digital product easier or harder to launch, monetise and improve.
What the CMA is looking at
The CMA says Apple and Google were designated in October 2025 as having strategic market status in the provision of mobile platforms in the UK. That designation lasts for five years and covers mobile operating systems, app distribution, mobile browsers and browser engines.
The regulator is now exploring where targeted interventions could improve outcomes for consumers and businesses. It says formal action is not automatic, but it is looking at areas where intervention could make a practical difference.
For SMEs, the most relevant areas include app review, app ranking, use of data, interoperability, digital wallets and app distribution rules. Those are the points where platform decisions can directly shape customer access, product design and commercial margins.
Why app distribution rules matter
One of the clearest SME angles is app distribution and “steering”. The CMA says it is exploring measures around restrictions that prevent app developers from steering users outside an app to complete a transaction.
Where transactions can be completed outside an app, developers may have more control over customer relationships, may be able to choose their own billing provider and may avoid some app store commission costs. That could matter to smaller software firms, subscription businesses, online services, gaming studios and specialist ecommerce brands using apps as part of their customer journey.
The CMA says this work is important for the UK because of the government’s industrial strategy and the country’s app developer community, particularly in gaming. It is also monitoring relevant international developments, including US litigation involving Epic and changes linked to the EU Digital Markets Act.
Digital wallets and fintech access
The CMA is also engaging on access to the Near Field Communication chip on Apple smartphones, with a view to understanding how wider access could support competition in digital wallets.
This is especially relevant for UK fintechs and financial-services firms. Digital wallet functionality increasingly reaches beyond card payments into identity, access, tickets, membership, loyalty and digital keys. Smaller firms building around those use cases may want to track whether future changes open up new product routes or partnership opportunities.
For businesses already watching regulatory change around finance and digital customer journeys, this sits alongside other recent developments such as Consumer Credit Act reform for small lenders and finance-facing SMEs.
What SMEs should do now
Most small firms will not need to make immediate changes. The sensible step is to identify where your business depends heavily on Apple or Google rules, then keep those points under review during 2026.
App developers should look at whether their commercial model depends on in-app payments, app store search visibility, review timelines, access to device features or restrictions on browser technology. Fintech and wallet-related firms should track any updates on NFC access, identity use cases and interoperability.
SMEs should also keep records of practical issues they experience, such as delayed app approvals, unclear rejection reasons, ranking volatility or limits on customer communication. If the CMA invites further evidence, concrete examples will usually be more useful than broad complaints.
The practical takeaway
The CMA’s update is not a finished rulebook. It is a signpost for where mobile platform regulation may move next. For digital SMEs, the useful response is to keep product, finance and compliance teams joined up so that platform-rule changes are spotted early rather than treated as a surprise.
Smaller firms do not control Apple or Google’s platform decisions, but they can control how prepared they are: understand your dependencies, model the commercial impact of different payment routes, and watch for CMA updates on steering, wallets, browsers and interoperability through the rest of 2026.
Source: Competition and Markets Authority: The CMA’s programme of work across mobile platforms.
