In a nutshell: Five US senators have reintroduced a bipartisan bill to curb Apple's and Google's dominance in mobile app distribution. According to the lawmakers, the legislation will outlaw restrictive trade practices that allow the two tech giants control the global app economy.
The "Open App Markets Act," introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn, Richard Blumenthal, Mike Lee, Amy Klobuchar, and Dick Durbin, aims to promote competition and strengthen consumer protections in the evolving mobile economy. The bill asserts that Apple and Google act as gatekeepers to their respective platforms through the App Store and Google Play, stifling competition and restricting consumer choice.
Senator Blackburn's official website claims the two companies have acted as "unaccountable gatekeepers" of the mobile app economy for far too long – forcing consumers to use their native app stores at the expense of third-party options and stifling innovation to the detriment of both consumers and developers.
A key sore point for app publishers is the requirement to use Apple's and Google's payment systems, which drives up prices for consumers and eats into developers' revenue. To address this, the bill allows developers to distribute their apps through external sources and keep a larger share of the earnings.
Big Tech giants have forced American consumers to use their app stores at the expense of innovative startups that threaten their bottom line.
– Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) June 24, 2025
Today, @SenBlumenthal and I filed the Open App Markets Act to promote competition and protect consumers within the app market.
The Open App Markets Act will protect developers' rights to offer competitive pricing via alternative payment systems. The bill also aims to promote app sideloading and enable developers to create new user experiences by leveraging hardware features without unfair or discriminatory restrictions.
Blackburn added that the Open App Markets Act will create a more equitable market for consumers and small businesses by encouraging competition, expanding user options, and driving innovation. She also said the bill includes measures to safeguard user privacy and security.
Several app developers have backed the bill, including Spotify and Epic Games, both known for their high-profile legal battles against Apple's App Store policies. Consumer advocacy groups – including the American Economic Liberties Project, the American Principles Project, and the Ethics and Public Policy Center – also support the bill, along with the tech startup accelerator Y Combinator.
Senators have tried to move the Open App Markets Act through Congress before. In 2021, Senators Blumenthal, Klobuchar, and Blackburn sponsored the original bill, but powerful industry lobbies prevented it from reaching the House floor.
The revised bill includes stronger provisions for protecting intellectual property and addressing national security concerns. However, the legislation will still face fierce opposition from companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Meta, which reportedly spent a combined $100 million during the last effort to block the bill before it could reach a vote.
US Senators introduce bipartisan bill to enable third-party app stores on iPhones
