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The new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC) in the UK is well positioned to have many benefits if it’s done right — protecting consumers’ rights and shielding them from harmful business practices by requiring companies like Apple to compete fairly.
This is a law that promises to revolutionize the digital landscape in the UK, give power back to UK consumers, and unleash economic growth.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has taken an important first step towards achieving those goals, opening an investigation into Apple’s stranglehold on the mobile ecosystem.
While this is a positive move, the job is far from done.
For the sake of consumers, innovators and business growth, the UK’s world-leading new competition investigative powers must be applied swiftly and robustly.
FAQs
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Why is this law needed in the UK—isn’t the free market working?
There are nearly 9 billion mobile phones in the world, but just two companies control access to the internet through the vast majority of those phones. Apple has a stranglehold on the market, causing UK consumers to pay more for their favorite apps and controlling their digital lives. As we’ve seen time and again, Apple won’t change and open the market for competition unless the DMCC works as it is intended.
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How will the DMCC help UK businesses?
Apple has profited off the backs of UK consumers and businesses for far too long, limiting the success of UK tech companies. If it is enforced correctly, the DMCC will let the UK lead the world in the fight against Apple’s market dominance, and make the country a more globally competitive and attractive place to do business.
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How will consumers benefit?
The DMCC will do more for UK consumers than any law before it, and done right, it can force companies like Apple to:
- Give consumers lower and more competitive prices and payment options for apps online.
- Give consumers the right to be aware of different options and offers.
- Offer consumers more access to services from more UK and global companies.
- Give innovators a chance to bring new products and services to consumers.
