Home
Apps
Apps News
Apple, Google Make Four Commitments to Improve Fairness and Transparency in App Stores

Apple, Google Make Four Commitments to Improve Fairness and Transparency in App Stores

The UK’s regulatory body said that it has secured four commitments from Apple and Google to make app marketplaces fairer.

Written by Akash Dutta, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 11 February 2026 10:01 IST

Apple, Google Make Four Commitments to Improve Fairness and Transparency in App Stores

Photo Credit: Unsplash/James Yarema

The CMA said it will closely monitor Apple and Google’s implementation of the changes

Click Here to Add Gadgets360 As A Trusted Source

Highlights

Both companies said third-party apps will not be discriminated against
Apple and Google will make app rankings fairer and transparent
Developers can more easily access interoperable features in iOS

Apple and Google have agreed to make four changes to their respective app stores to make the marketplaces fairer and more transparent to third-party developers. The announcement was made by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Tuesday after it raised questions about the company's duopoly in the mobile application sector. Among the changes are provisions to make app reviews more transparent, making app rankings on App Store and Play Store more objective and non-discriminatory, safeguards for collected data, and interoperability features.

Apple, Google to Make Four Changes to Their App Marketplaces

In a press release, CMA announced that Apple and Google have agreed to make immediate improvements in their respective marketplaces to ensure transparency and fairness for third-party apps and developers. Among them, three changes apply to both entities, while a specific change regarding interoperability applies to Apple. The UK watchdog is now seeking comments on these commitments and said it will closely monitor the implementation of the changes and will report its findings publicly.

“Following designation of Apple and Google's mobile platforms in October last year, the CMA has moved swiftly to secure a package of commitments from Apple and Google that will boost the UK's app economy, giving developers the opportunity and confidence they need to invest and innovate,” said Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA.

Apple Reveals When the App Store Will Start Showing More Ads

Both Apple and Google have agreed to review apps submitted to their marketplaces in a fair, objective, and transparent manner. Additionally, they have committed to not discriminating against apps which compete with their own apps. The companies have also agreed to ensure app rankings take place with the same due diligence.

Third, both Apple and Google have agreed to safeguard the app data they collect from developers during the app review process and not to use it unfairly. Finally, the iPhone maker will make it easier for developers to request interoperable access to features on iOS and iPadOS. The Cupertino-based tech giant has agreed to consider the requests fairly and objectively.

Both companies will also share data around the proportion of apps submitted for review, approved, rejected, and appealed. Apart from this, the App Store and the Play Store will also share the time taken for app review and the number of complaints received, along with their outcomes. Apple will also share data on interoperability requests received, outcomes, and timelines.

Apple Announces Creator Pro Bundle With Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro and More

In case either of the companies fails to implement the commitments effectively, the CMA said it will impose formal “conduct requirements.”

Google Might Be Adding More Layers to Stop Users From Sideloading Apps

“While we believe Play's existing developer practices are fair, objective, and transparent, we welcome the opportunity to resolve the CMA's concerns collaboratively. Our proposed voluntary commitments will continue to provide transparency on our app review, ranking and data usage policies and practices to ensure developers understand the many choices available to them on Google Play,” Google said in a blog post.

Comments

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Apple, Google, App Store, Play Store, UK, Apps

Akash Dutta Email Akash Dutta

Akash Dutta is a Chief Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More