Kathmandu, Oct. 23 -- Britain's competition watchdog said Wednesday that Apple and Google would face tougher regulation of services on their mobile platforms under new measures focused on technology giants.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it was placing the two companies under "strategic market status" in a final decision following a nine-month investigation.

The companies hit out at the SMS designation, with Google calling it "disappointing, disproportionate and unwarranted".

The new UK measures are similar to a tech competition law from the European Union, the Digital Markets Act, which carries the potential for hefty financial penalties.

"Apple and Google's mobile platforms are used by thousands of businesses right acros...