Apple still hasn’t responded to Spotify’s app update, which puts pricing information and links to subscriptions directly inside the app.
Even after Apple was hit with a $2 billion fine in the European Union over years-old complaints from Spotify about its App Store rules, Spotify says Apple is stonewalling updates issued in compliance with that very ruling. In an email to the European Commission obtained by The Verge, Spotify writes that Apple has “neither acknowledged nor responded to Spotify’s submission” to bring subscription pricing information into the app, preventing it from updating the app at all for its users, even to put out fixes for bugs or add other features.
On March 5th, Spotify submitted an update to Apple that puts links to Spotify’s website, along with pricing information for different subscription options, directly in the EU version of its app, without using Apple’s payment system. Spotify made the change in response to a ruling issued the day before by the European Commission, which said Apple’s anti-steering rules are “illegal” and ordered Apple to start allowing developers to include information about “alternative and cheaper music subscription services.”
Apple responded to the decision on March 4th by saying it would appeal and pointing out a list of “ways Apple creates value for Spotify, at no cost to their company,” which happened to include this bullet point:
Our App Review team has reviewed and approved 421 versions of the Spotify app — usually with same-day turnaround — and frequently expedites reviews at Spotify’s request.
In the email, Spotify says it hasn’t heard back from Apple since submitting the update.
The company writes that this is “yet another example of how Apple if unchecked, will seek to circumvent and/or not comply with the Commission’s decision.” It also urges the European Commission to contact Apple and requires that it approve Spotify’s changes. “Given Apple’s track record, Spotify is concerned that Apple’s delay is intentional and is aimed at delaying or avoiding compliance altogether,” the email reads.
“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,” Spotify spokesperson Jeanne Moran says in an emailed statement to The Verge. “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.”
Apple didn’t provide a comment in response to a request from The Verge.
This ruling is separate from the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations for big tech platforms that have only been around for about a week, but the European Commission has already intervened in response to one of Apple’s DMA-related decisions. Earlier this month, Apple revoked Epic Games’ developer license because of criticism CEO Tim Sweeney made about Apple’s DMA compliance plan. Epic Games got its developer license back days later, citing “a swift inquiry” from the European Commission.
