Spotify to Display Pricing on Apple Devices
TECH DIGEST – Music streaming company Spotify will finally display pricing information for its various plans and services within its app on Apple devices in the European Union (EU) starting Wednesday. This comes after a three-month-long dispute with Apple, which had initially rejected Spotify’s update.
The initial rejection stemmed from Spotify’s refusal to accept Apple’s newly introduced “Music Streaming Services Entitlement.” These terms govern how music streaming apps in the EU inform users about alternative ways to make purchases, potentially bypassing Apple’s App Store payment system.
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While Spotify has now agreed to Apple’s terms, its iOS app will not allow users to make purchases directly through external links. This is because Spotify would have to pay Apple a commission on any transactions processed outside the App Store. Apple, however, maintains that accepting its music streaming terms does not require offering external payment options.
“This is progress,” said Spotify in a statement, “but only a small step” toward providing iPhone users in the EU with the “basic product experiences they expect and deserve.” This comment reflects Spotify’s ongoing criticism of Apple’s App Store practices, which the company argues stifle competition.
The move to allow clearer pricing communication aligns with a broader effort by the EU to regulate app store practices. In April, the EU fined Apple €1.84 billion ($2 billion) for its anti-competitive practices related to music streaming services within the App Store.
