Long before the conflict between Apple and Epic, the developer of Fortnite, Spotify had already warned about the App Store regulations and the 30% “tax”. As a reminder, Apple and Spotify are competitors, since the Cupertino company also offers a music streaming service.
Because of the App Store settlement and the 30% tax, Spotify felt it was at a disadvantage compared to Apple Music and decided to file a complaint with the European Commission in 2019. And while the relationship between the two businesses were already strained, Spotify recently spoke out following Apple’s launch of its Apple One subscription. This is a monthly subscription that bundles several Apple services, including Apple Music, and is more economical.
Here is what Spotify said, following the launch of Apple One, in a press release relayed by a journalist from Cheddar: “Once again, Apple is using its dominant position and unfair practices to disadvantage its competitors and deprive consumers by favoring its own services. We call on competition authorities to act urgently to restrain Apple’s anti-competitive behavior, which, if left unchecked, will cause irreparable harm to the developer community and threaten our collective freedoms to listen, to learn, create and connect. »
Apple’s response to Spotify’s criticism that the Apple One bundle abuses Apple’s market position favor Apple Music, in full: pic.twitter.com/Agn3PvdqA5
—Stephen Nellis (@StephenNellis) September 15, 2020
Apple’s response was quick. “Customers can discover and enjoy alternatives to each of Apple’s services. We’re launching Apple One because it’s great value for customers and an easy way to access the full range of Apple’s subscription services.”we read in a statement relayed by a Reuters journalist.
“We’ll recommend the Apple One plan that saves you the most money based on the subscriptions you already have. It’s perfect for anyone who loves one of our services and wants more for less, and it’s especially great for families. Some services included in Apple One are also available on non-Apple devices and you can cancel at any time”can we also read.
NEW — @Spotify is again calling out @Apple in a new statement provided by a company spokesperson to me/@Cheddar:
“Apple is using its dominant position and unfair practices to disadvantage competitors and deprive consumers by favoring its own services.” pic.twitter.com/zbQMTRkTAT
— jd durkin (@jiveDurkey) September 15, 2020
More and more companies are criticizing Apple’s practices
The more Apple beefs up its services, the more the way it manages the App Store is likely to come under scrutiny. And other companies have already spoken about it. Microsoft, for example, did not launch its cloud gaming service on iOS, due to constraints imposed by the Apple store. And although the Cupertino company has finally authorized cloud gaming on iPhones, Microsoft is still not satisfied because of the conditions imposed in the new regulations.
In the field of cryptocurrencies, Brian Armstrong, the boss of Coinbase also recently expressed himself by indicating that Apple would prevent innovation in this field. “Forcing users to use the App Store instead of Dapps (websites), or IAP (ed., transactions made through the App Store) instead of crypto payments, reminds me of what Microsoft did at the time (requiring users to use IE if you were on Windows) which led to all their antitrust issues”he said in a series of tweets.
Facebook also recently denounced Apple’s 30% “tax”. And in an interview, Mark Zuckerberg did not fail to make the comparison between iOS, where all applications must go through the App Store, and Android, where users can install an application even if it is not available on the Play Store.