by Juli Clover
Apple has not approved a Spotify app update that adds information on subscription pricing and links its website, Spotify complained today in an email to the European Commission (via The Verge). Spotify says that Apple has not “acknowledged nor responded” to its App Store submission.
The European Commission on March 4 fined Apple almost $2 billion and said that Apple abused its dominant position in the market by preventing music streaming services from telling users about more affordable subscription prices outside of their iOS apps. The EC said that it is “illegal under EU antitrust rules” for Apple to keep developers from telling customers about cheaper music subscription options.
Apple was told that it must “remove anti-steering provisions” in the European Union, and so on March 5, Spotify submitted an app update that included subscription pricing tiers and options to pay without using in-app purchase. Spotify says that it has not had a response from Apple since submitting the update.
Spotify told the European Commission that Apple’s lack of response is “yet another example” of how Apple “will seek to circumvent and/or not comply with the Commission’s decision.” Spotify asked the EC to require Apple to approve the app update.
In a statement to The Verge, Spotify also said that Apple’s delay “directly conflicts” with Apple’s statements about processing app submissions within 24 hours, and “flies in the face of the timeline for adoption” from the EC.
It’s been nine days now and we’re still waiting to hear from Apple about our app submission to show EU consumers pricing and a link to our website, which we are now authorized to do by the European Commission’s decision on the music streaming case. Apple’s delay directly conflicts with their claim that they turn around reviews on app submissions within 24 hours, and it also flies in the face of the timeline for adoption the Commission laid out.
The ruling from the European Commission that requires Apple to eliminate anti-steering rules is separate from the app ecosystem changes that Apple made in the European Union with iOS 17.4 to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Under the terms of the DMA, Spotify is allowed to distribute a Spotify app to EU users outside of the App Store, but it would be required to pay Apple’s Core Technology Fee for each user. Spotify currently does not pay Apple any commission.
The DMA also permits Spotify to direct users to make purchases on its website while also providing information on in-app promotions, discounts, and deals, but again, Spotify would need to agree to Apple’s updated business terms and fees to implement these changes. Spotify has not clarified if it adopted Apple’s new terms or if its update has been submitted without doing so.
Popular Stories
iPhone 16 Pro Expected Later This Year With These 10 New Features
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still around six months away from launching, there are already many rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of March 2024:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch…
iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple’s flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple’s iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company’s more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%…
2024 iPad Pro: Key Rumors to Be Aware of Ahead of Announcement
Apple’s next-generation iPad Pro models are expected to be announced in a matter of weeks, so what can customers expect from the highly anticipated new machines? The 2022 iPad Pro was a minor update that added the M2 chip, Apple Pencil hover, and specification upgrades like Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. The iPad Pro as a whole has generally only seen relatively small updates in…
Apple Preparing iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone
Apple appears to be internally testing iOS 17.4.1 for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software update in our website’s logs this week. Our logs have revealed the existence of several iOS 17 versions before Apple released them, ranging from iOS 17.0.3 to iOS 17.3.1. iOS 17.4.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear when…
Apple Announces Ability to Download iPhone Apps From Websites in EU
Apple today announced three further changes for developers in the European Union, allowing them to distribute apps directly from webpages, choose how to design in-app promotions, and more. Apple last week enabled alternative app stores in the EU in iOS 17.4, allowing third-party app stores to offer a catalog of other developers’ apps as well as the marketplace developer’s own apps. As of…
Apple Said iPhone Driver’s Licenses Would Expand to These 8 U.S. States… Two Years Ago
In just four U.S. states, residents can add their driver’s license or ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues. Adoption of the feature has been slow since Apple first announced it in September 2021, with IDs in the Wallet app only available in Arizona,…
Video Comparison: M3 MacBook Air vs. M3 MacBook Pro
Tuesday March 12, 2024 10:42 am PDT by Juli Clover
With the refresh of the MacBook Air models in March, Apple now has M3 versions of the 13-inch MacBook Air, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 15-inch MacBook Air, all with the same chip inside. For those trying to decide between the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air, we did a comparison video to highlight what you’re getting with each machine. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. …
Apple Vision Pro Likely to Launch in These Nine Countries Next
Wednesday March 13, 2024 4:55 pm PDT by Aaron Perris
Apple will soon add 12 new languages to the virtual keyboard on the Vision Pro, based on code discovered by MacRumors. Right now, the Apple Vision Pro keyboard only supports English (US) and Emoji, which makes sense as it is limited to the United States. To bring the Vision Pro to new countries, Apple needs to add support for additional languages. The code indicates the following languages…
