Mobile browsers and cloud gaming

The CMA is carrying out a market investigation in respect of the supply of mobile browsers and browser engines, and the distribution of cloud gaming services through app stores on mobile devices in the UK.

From:
Competition and Markets Authority
Published
10 June 2022
Last updated
22 November 2024 — See all updates
Case type:
Markets
Case state:
Open
Market sector:
Electronics and Recreation and leisure
Opened:
10 June 2022

Administrative timetable

Date Action
16 March 2025 Statutory deadline
February to March 2025 Publication of final report
December 2024 to January 2025 Final deadline for all parties’ responses before final report
November 2024 to December 2024 Response hearings
November 2024 Provisional decision report
September 2024 Deadline for all parties’ responses/submissions required before the provisional decision report
March to August 2024 Publication of working papers and/or disclosure to relevant parties
20 March 2024 Responses to the issues statement published
24 January 2024 to June 2024 Information requests, hearings
24 January 2024 Market investigation recommenced
31 March 2023 Market investigation suspended
November 2022 to 31 March 2023 Information requests, site visits, publication of issues statement, responses to issues statement from main and third parties, hearings
22 November 2022 Reference made by CMA

Market investigation

Provisional findings

22 November 2024: The CMA has published its provisional decision in its market investigation into mobile browsers and cloud gaming. We have provisionally found competition concerns in the mobile browsers market.

The deadline for submitting responses to the provisional findings is 5pm on Friday 13 December 2024.

Hearing summaries

Progress update

Working papers

The CMA welcomed comments on WP1 to WP6 until 29 July 2024, as well as on WP7 until 29 August 2024.

Responses to working papers

Market investigation recommenced

26 January 2024: Parties can make supplemental submissions on the issues statement until 23 February 2024.

24 January 2024: The market investigation has now recommenced in accordance a Court of Appeal order dated 30 November 2023. This followed an earlier order by the Competition Appeals Tribunal which had suspended the market investigation from 31 March 2023.

30 November 2023: In a unanimous judgment (available on the National Archives website), the Court of Appeal has determined that the CMA’s decision to make a market investigation reference in relation to the market for mobile browsers and cloud gaming was lawful, setting aside the CAT’s judgment of 31 March 2023.

Inquiry group changes

24 January 2024: Robin Foster has stood down from his role in the inquiry group. David Thomas has been appointed to the inquiry group.

Primary research

Updated responses to the issues statement

Market investigation timetable suspended following Competition Appeal Tribunal order and judgment

31 March 2023: The market investigation timetable was suspended with effect from 31 March 2023 following a Competition Appeal Tribunal judgment and order.

Invitation to comment on consumer survey draft questionnaire

15 February 2023: As part of its investigation into mobile browsing and cloud gaming, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) appointed Kantar Public (now Verian) to conduct a quantitative survey of UK consumers who own a smartphone. The below linked Questionnaire notice provides details of the research approach.

The CMA welcomed comments on the draft questionnaire to be used in the proposed survey by 5.00pm GMT 22 February 2023.

Responses to the issues statement

Issues statement

26 January 2024: Parties can make supplemental submissions on the issues statement until 23 February 2024.

13 December 2022: The issues statement outlines initial theories on what might be affecting competition and potential remedies. It doesn’t set out our findings or conclusions. Parties were invited to provide submissions commenting on the issues and possible remedies. The deadline for submissions on the issues statement was Tuesday 17 January 2023.

Invitation to comment on research agencies

1 December 2022: As part of its browsers and cloud gaming market investigation, the CMA intends to carry out research with consumers and web developers. We have identified a number of firms to undertake this research and comments are invited on potential conflicts of interest or any other restriction on the firms’ suitability to carry out the work.

Consumer research: The central objective for the consumer research is to measure and develop our understanding of consumer behaviour in the mobile browser market, with a particular focus on understanding the drivers of browser choice on smartphone devices. We expect the research will involve both qualitative and quantitative research disciplines and we encourage agencies to propose research methodologies which best address our research objectives.

Web developer research: The central objective for the web developer research is to develop our understanding of the experiences of web developers in relation to browsers and browser engines. We believe qualitative research will be most appropriate for this project but again encourage agencies to propose research approaches which best meet our research objectives.

Inquiry group appointed

22 November 2022: The CMA appointed the inquiry group on 22 November 2022. Margot Daly (Inquiry Chair), Robin Foster, Cyrus Mehta and Claire Whyley.

CMA Board advisory steer

22 November 2022: The CMA Board’s advisory steer to the inquiry group can be found below.

Terms of reference

22 November 2022: The terms of reference for the CMA’s investigation can be found below.

Decision document

22 November 2022: The decision document for the CMA’s investigation can be found below.

Case opened

22 November 2022: The CMA has decided to refer the supply of mobile browsers and mobile browser engines, and the distribution of cloud gaming services through app stores on mobile devices (referred to as ‘mobile browsers and cloud gaming’) for an in-depth Phase 2 market investigation.

On 10 June 2022, the CMA published the final report of its market study into mobile ecosystems. In parallel, we launched a consultation on the proposal to make a market investigation reference into the supply of mobile browsers and mobile browser engines, and the distribution of cloud gaming services through app stores on mobile devices (referred to as ‘mobile browsers and cloud gaming’).

The final report of the mobile ecosystems market study can be found on the Mobile ecosystems market study case page.

Responses to the consultation for the proposed market investigation

22 November 2022: Responses can be found on Mobile browsers and cloud gaming: Proposal to make a market reference consultation page.

Personal information

The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its market investigations under the Enterprise Act 2002. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

For more information about how the CMA handles personal information, see the CMA’s Personal Information Charter.

Contact

Please send written representations about any competition issues to [email protected].

Updates to this page

Published 10 June 2022
Last updated 22 November 2024 + show all updates

  1. Notice of provisional findings, provisional decision, hearing summaries and responses to working paper 7 published.

  2. Ericsson’s response to working paper 6 published.

  3. Responses to working papers 1 to 6 published.

  4. Administrative timetable updated.

  5. Working paper 7 and Verian final report published

  6. Working papers 4 to 6 and external research papers published.

  7. Progress update, 3 working papers and external research published.

  8. Responses to the issues statement published

  9. Administrative timetable updated.

  10. Market investigation recommenced.

  11. Update to Court of Appeal judgment published.

  12. Court of Appeal judgment published

  13. Further update on the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) judgment and subsequent order updated

  14. Further update on the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) judgment and subsequent order updated

  15. Further update on the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) judgment and subsequent order updated

  16. Update on Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) judgment added.

  17. Invitation to comment on consumer survey draft questionnaire published.

  18. Responses to the issues statement published.

  19. Administrative timetable published.

  20. Issues statement published.

  21. Agencies invitation to comment published

  22. Reference decision, terms of reference and board advisory steer published and inquiry group appointed.

  23. First published.

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