I will dare to say that the App Store has never before been challenged as it is since 2021 as regulators around the world are following up from the Epic Games lawsuit which had some hits & misses from both sides.

One particular topic that arose and was very apparent in the Cloud Gaming community was the unusual need of Apple to have COMPLETE scrutiny on services like Stadia, Xbox Game Pass Cloud (Project xCloud Beta by then) and GeForce Now from respectively Google, Microsoft and Nvidia.

The method?

As revealed on the Epic trial by Microsoft, Apple wanted solutions that were far reaching and many burdens including to have a WHOLE individual Game Pass Cloud App for each game including the same Game Pass Cloud iOS client and it was obvious that the same requirement was enforced to Google and Nvidia.

This week, the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority (the equivalent of USA's FTC) had ruled that the Cloud Gaming requirements for the App Store are anticompetitive.

Apple has blocked the emergence of cloud gaming services on its App Store. Like web apps, cloud gaming services are a developing innovation, providing mobile access to high-quality games that can be streamed rather than individually downloaded.

Gaming apps are a key source of revenue for Apple and cloud gaming could pose a real threat to Apple’s strong position in app distribution.

By preventing this sector from growing, Apple risks causing mobile users to miss out on the full benefits of cloud gaming.

As of the writing of this, Apple has not responded to this ruling but typical Cupertino giant, will have prepared a script saying how they are defending their platform from every form of antiprivacy measure, preserving content for each individual age and explain why government are wrong on labeling them "anticompetitive".

BTW and related, their enforcement of 3rd party web browsers that need to have iOS's built Webkit as a browsing engine also harms competition.

The App Store's investigation is still ongoing by the UK watchdog.

Google also had a smack on the hand

Despite the ruling somehow reinvindicates all Cloud Gaming service, including Stadia, its creator Google (as it kinda usual these days), was also was called out anticompetitive by the CMA regarding the Android duopoly along with iOS.

The study found that Apple and Google have an effective duopoly on mobile ecosystems that allows them to exercise a stranglehold over these markets, which include operating systems, app stores and web browsers on mobile devices.

Without interventions, both companies are likely to maintain, and even strengthen, their grip over the sector, further restricting competition and limiting incentives for innovators.

It has been documented the sour relationship with many european countries and Google regarding the dominance of Android and all Google-related services.

Via: 9to5Mac