Proposed decision: SMS investigation into Google’s mobile platform
The Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) purpose is to help people, businesses and the UK economy by protecting competition and tackling unfair behaviour.
About this consultation
The CMA has published its proposed decision as part of its strategic market status (SMS) investigation into Google’s provision of its mobile platform, under Part 1 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
The CMA is proposing to designate Google as having SMS in the provision of its mobile platform.
We welcome your views on our proposed decision by 5pm on 20 August 2025.
Responding to our consultation
Submit your response using the form below.
Please address the following questions in your response:
- Do you have any views on our proposed descriptions of the relevant digital activities, namely: the mobile operating system, native app distribution, and mobile browser and browser engine?
- Do you have any views on our provisional conclusion that it would be appropriate to treat those activities as a single digital activity, referred to as a mobile platform, whose purpose is to facilitate interactions between users and providers of digital content and services on Android mobile devices in order to allow users to access, view and engage with such content and services on their mobile devices?
- Do you have views on our provisional finding that the competitive constraint on Google’s mobile platform from Apple’s and other rival mobile ecosystems is limited? This relates specifically to the competitive constraint in attracting end users and content providers.
- Do you have views on our provisional finding that there are high barriers to entry and expansion for mobile platforms?
- Do you have views on our provisional finding that the competitive constraint on Google’s mobile platform from alternatives to content distribution within Google’s mobile ecosystem, and alternatives on non-mobile devices, is limited?
- Do you have views on our provisional conclusion that there are no expected or foreseeable developments that are likely (whether individually or in combination) to be sufficient in scope, timeliness and impact to eliminate Google’s substantial market power in the provision of its mobile platform over the next 5 years?
- Do you have views on our provisional conclusion that Google has substantial and entrenched market power (SEMP) and a position of strategic significance (POSS) in respect of its mobile platform?
- Do you have any other views in relation to the assessment/evidence set out in the proposed decision?
Please use headings and/or the question numbers above to identify the specific questions you are responding to as part of your submission.
If your response contains any information that you regard as sensitive and that you would not wish to be published, please provide a non-confidential version for publication on our website.
Any non-disclosure agreement you may have in place with Google should not prevent you from responding to this consultation. Google has confirmed that it will not use any confidentiality provision with a party to prevent them from responding to this consultation.
If you need support with the form, or would like to send your response by email, contact mobilesms@cma.gov.uk
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