Spotify: “Apple continues to violate EU law”

Spotify: “Apple continues to violate EU law”


Spotify says that Apple continues to violate European law and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), as the audio streamer is still not allowed to communicate about prices on Apple platforms.

Spotify has let them know that it had submitted an update to Apple to reflect “basic pricing and website information” in the Spotify app for iOS and iPadOS. It served as a test to see whether Apple would respect the DMA. It now appears that Apple has rejected Spotify’s request and the streaming service is not happy about it. “Apple is once again going against the European Commission’s decision by rejecting our update. We wanted to communicate with our customers about our prices in this way, but Apple continues to count on a new tax” (commission on purchases, ed.). “Their lack of respect for customers and developers is only matched by their disregard for the law,” a Spotify spokesperson told Engadget.

Spotify en Apple in de clinch

Dustee Jenkins, chief public affairs officer at Spotify, also responded X. “By charging developers to communicate with consumers via in-app links, Apple continues to violate European law. It is high time that the Commission enforces its decision and that consumers can experience the real, positive consequences.”

Apple and Spotify have been at odds for some time now about how subscription prices are communicated on Apple’s platforms. Tempers are flaring again now that the iPhone builder has rejected Spotify’s new update. Striking, because Apple only recently got one sample fine of 2 billion dollars imposed by the European Commission for ‘blocking’ alternative music apps.

The European Commission is also investigating technology giants Apple, Meta and Google for the privileges they grant themselves and charging extra costs to developers. How Apple will now respond to Spotify’s counter-reaction is anyone’s guess.


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