Apple and Google have defeated a California bill that would have forced them to stop prioritizing their own apps in their digital storefronts. The bill, which targeted self-preferencing in app stores, failed after an intense lobbying campaign by both companies, according to reports from AppleInsider.
The outcome is a significant win for both tech giants, who faced the prospect of being legally required to treat their own apps the same way they treat third-party developers on their respective platforms.
What Was the California Bill?
The bill was aimed squarely at the kind of preferential treatment that Apple and Google have long given their own apps. On the App Store, Apple’s native apps tend to appear first in search results, are pre-installed on devices, and are exempt from the 30 percent commission that third-party developers pay.
California legislators argued that this gave Apple and Google an unfair structural advantage over competing apps. The bill would have required both companies to provide equal placement and treatment to third-party apps within their storefronts, at least within the state.
For context, this is not a new concern. Regulators in the European Union have already forced Apple to make changes under the Digital Markets Act, including allowing alternative app marketplaces in EU countries. The California bill represented an attempt to bring similar pressure at the state level in the United States.
How Apple and Google Stopped It
Both companies deployed significant lobbying resources to oppose the bill. The details of their campaign have not been fully disclosed, but the result was clear — the bill did not advance.
This is a pattern that has repeated itself multiple times at the state and federal level in the US. Tech companies have consistently been able to neutralize antitrust and competition legislation through lobbying, legal arguments, and coalition building.
The California failure is notable given that the state has historically been more willing than Congress to pass technology regulation. If app store reform cannot pass in California, the path at the state level looks difficult across the US.
What This Means for Developers
For third-party app developers, the outcome is frustrating. The App Store commission structure and search ranking advantages for Apple’s own apps have been a source of ongoing conflict between Apple and developers for years.
The most high-profile dispute in recent memory was Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple over the App Store commission. While that case produced some changes — Apple was required to allow developers to link to external payment methods — the core commission structure remained largely intact.
Apple is already making changes in specific markets where regulators have had more success, but in the US, the status quo continues for now.
The Bigger Picture
This story sits within a much larger ongoing debate about the power of Apple and Google over the app economy. Both companies control the primary distribution channel for software on mobile devices, and the question of whether that constitutes an unfair monopoly is being argued in courts and legislatures around the world.
The EU’s Digital Markets Act has been the most effective instrument so far, producing concrete changes to how Apple operates in Europe. In the US, progress has been slower, and today’s result in California illustrates why.
With Apple’s WWDC 2026 coming up in June, Apple will be hoping to shift the conversation back to new features and software rather than regulatory battles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is app store self-preferencing?
Self-preferencing refers to a platform giving its own products and services preferential placement or treatment compared to competing third-party offerings. On the App Store, this can mean Apple’s apps appearing higher in search results or being pre-installed on every iPhone.
Is there any federal app store legislation in the US?
There have been multiple attempts at federal legislation targeting app stores, including the Open App Markets Act, but none have passed into law as of 2026.
How does the EU handle this differently?
The EU’s Digital Markets Act designates companies like Apple and Google as “gatekeepers” and imposes specific obligations, including allowing alternative app marketplaces. Apple has made notable changes to its App Store rules in Europe as a result.
Can developers still fight App Store rules?
Yes. Developers can pursue legal challenges, as Epic Games did, or advocate for regulatory change. Some developers have also shifted focus toward the web and progressive web apps as an alternative to relying entirely on the App Store.
Conclusion
Apple and Google’s defeat of the California app store bill keeps the status quo intact in the US for now. While regulators in Europe have made progress through the Digital Markets Act, similar reform efforts continue to fall short on American soil.
The outcome is unlikely to end the debate. As long as Apple and Google control the primary distribution channels for mobile apps and continue to give their own products preferential treatment, developers, regulators, and legislators will keep pushing back. The question is whether a US-level breakthrough will ever arrive.
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