Spotify files a complaint against Apple, saying its App Store rules 'purposely limit choice and stifle innovation'


Spotify has filed a complaint with the European Commission over Apple's App Store, arguing the regulatory body must "take action to ensure fair competition."
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek on Wednesday accused Apple of introducing rules in the App Store that "purposely limit choice and stifle innovation," allowing the company to act "as both a player and referee to deliberately disadvantage other app developers." Ek said that Apple gives itself an "unfair advantage" by requiring companies like Spotify to pay a 30 percent tax on purchases made using its payment system. Paying the tax would require the company to raise prices, he explained, while not paying requires it to incorporate "a series of technical and experience-limiting restrictions."
Ek concluded with three requests: first, he says that Spotify should "be able to compete fairly on the merits" and be subject to the same rules as Apple Music. Second, consumers should have a "real choice" of payment systems and not have to use Apple's with its "discriminatory tariffs." TechCrunch points out that on Google Play, for example, Spotify doesn't have to use Google's payment system. And finally, app stores should not be able to "control the communications between services and users," Ek said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Spotify has also launched a website detailing its issues with Apple called Time for Fair Play and a YouTube video that lays out its concerns in friendly cartoon form. The Verge points out that this step by Spotify comes days after 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) proposed breaking up big tech companies like Apple. Apple has not yet commented on Spotify's complaint.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Should you add your child to your credit card?
The Explainer You can make them an authorized user on your account in order to help them build credit
-
Cracker Barrel crackup: How the culture wars are upending corporate branding
In the Spotlight Is it 'woke' to leave nostalgia behind?
-
'It's hard to discern what it actually means'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
New York court tosses Trump's $500M fraud fine
Speed Read A divided appeals court threw out a hefty penalty against President Trump for fraudulently inflating his wealth
-
Trump said to seek government stake in Intel
Speed Read The president and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan reportedly discussed the proposal at a recent meeting
-
US to take 15% cut of AI chip sales to China
Speed Read Nvidia and AMD will pay the Trump administration 15% of their revenue from selling artificial intelligence chips to China
-
NFL gets ESPN stake in deal with Disney
Speed Read The deal gives the NFL a 10% stake in Disney's ESPN sports empire and gives ESPN ownership of NFL Network
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance
-
Tesla reports plummeting profits
Speed Read The company may soon face more problems with the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year