WASHINGTON—Senators introduced legislation Wednesday that would impose new rules for app stores, amid debate over the dominant roles Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google play in the mobile ecosystem.
The bipartisan bill by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) aims to boost competition and consumer protections by placing new restrictions on how the stores operate and what rules they can impose on app developers. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.), chair of the Senate antitrust subcommittee, co-sponsored the bill.
Apple said in a statement that its app store “is the cornerstone of our work to connect developers and customers in a way that is safe and trustworthy. The result has been an unprecedented engine of economic growth and innovation.”
Google declined to comment on the legislation. Google says that its Android system provides choice that others don’t. Device makers and carriers can preload competing app stores alongside Google Play, for example.
Called the Open App Markets Act, the measure is the latest reflection of lawmakers’ concerns about the power of major technology companies across a range of markets including search, advertising and social media. It aims to address longstanding concerns among developers such as Epic Games Inc. about in-app payments and other matters.
