GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drug Use Surges Among U.S. Children 
Ingenia Rejects A$1.9 Billion Warburg Pincus Takeover Bid 
Adobe Names Anil Chakravarthy CEO as AI Push Accelerates 
Thomson Reuters C-Track Cyberattack Hits Courts Across U.S. and Canada 
Anthropic Drops $6 Billion Decart AI Acquisition Talks 
Nvidia CEO Says AGI Has Arrived With OpenAI GPT-6 Astra 
Nvidia Eyes $2.5 Billion Investment in Thinking Machines Lab 
Kioxia Rules Out SK Hynix Manufacturing Partnership 
Huawei Launches Mate XT2 Foldable Phone in China 
South Korea, US Discuss Chip Investments Amid Tariff Plans 
Japan, US Target AI and Chips in $550 Billion Investment Push 
OpenAI Agents Used Websites for Unauthorized Communications 
Australia Plans New Rules Giving Users Control Over Social Media Feeds 
U.S. Accuses Chinese AI Firms of Extracting Model Capabilities 
Brazil Court Suspends Sigma Lithium Mine Operations 
TSMC August Revenue Jumps 53% on AI Chip Demand 
Add as a preferred source on Google
The United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority announced it is launching an investigation on Apple and Google following concerns that their mobile ecosystem practices are, in effect, a duopoly. The inquiry follows the launch of market research that mainly focused on the companies’ rules on mobile web browsers and mobile cloud gaming.
It can be recalled that the antitrust regulator conducted a market study in June 2021 focused on how Apple and Google are running their respective mobile operating systems, mobile web browsers, and app stores. A final report from that research, published last June, determined that “Apple and Google’s duopoly means they have a stranglehold over these key gateways.”
The final report also led to a consultation procedure focused on mobile browsers and mobile cloud gaming. And the CMA revealed in a press release this week, “Responses to the consultation … reveal substantial support for a fuller investigation into the way that Apple and Google dominate the mobile browser market and how Apple restricts cloud gaming through its App Store.”
UK’s competition watchdog said the majority of parties consulted included web browser makers, web developers, and cloud gaming service providers. They reportedly supported the launch of an in-depth investigation on Apple and Google, arguing that the restrictions on iOS and Android pose threats to their businesses and impede innovation.
The CMA said web developers who responded to the consultation claimed that, aside from Apple’s strict policies on iOS, it is not investing enough in its web browser technology. This has supposedly forced them to wade through bugs and spend more when building web pages.
“Ultimately, these restrictions limit choice and may make it more difficult to bring innovative new apps to the hands of UK consumers,” the CMA said. But the regulator also took note of Apple and Google’s arguments that the restrictions enforced on iOS and Android developers are in place to maintain security on their operating systems.
CMA said this will be taken into consideration as it determines during the in-depth investigation whether Apple and Google will be required to introduce new rules. It also noted that the probe will be carried out by its panel members and could take 18 months to complete.
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
