CMA Evaluates Mobile Ecosystems

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has kicked off a review of mobile ecosystems, diving into the nitty-gritty of operating systems, app stores, and mobile browsers. We're all for it, as it gives us a chance to highlight how Android, Chrome, and Google Play are making a positive impact for users, businesses, and the broader mobile scene in the UK.

Android's been a game-changer, boosting choice, slashing prices, and making smartphones and apps more accessible to everyone. It's the only open-source mobile OS that's really taken off, giving developers and manufacturers the tools they need to create useful and secure apps and devices.

This open-source approach isn't just cool; it's a major economic driver. In the UK alone, the Android app economy raked in over £9.9 billion for British developers and helped support more than 457,000 jobs. Thanks to Android, there's a whopping 24,000 different phone models out there, covering all price ranges, from over 1,300 manufacturers. We reckon Android's saved developers over a million days they'd otherwise spend tweaking their apps for different operating systems—that's a cool £300 million in savings.

Our dedication to keeping Android and Google Play open and full of choices sparks innovation in ways other platforms just can't match. We're talking about supporting multiple app stores and browser engines, and even trying out new ways for users to pay for stuff in apps. The CMA's already seen the upside of our open approach during their ongoing look into mobile browsers.

We're keen to work hand-in-hand with the CMA on this, aiming for results that keep choices and opportunities open for consumers and businesses, without putting users at risk in terms of security and privacy. We're all about pushing for a regulatory approach that's pro-innovation and based on solid evidence, helping to keep the investment flowing and the UK economy growing.