In major u-turn, Apple allows Spotify to display pricing and direct users to its website

In a major u-turn, Apple is now allowing Spotify to display pricing in the app – including promotional offers – and to direct users to its website to sign up.

The move comes three months after the iPhone maker rejected a a Spotify app update which did just that, and four months after the EU fined the company $2B for anticompetitive practices in its treatment of its streaming music competitor …

A quick recap

Spotify has for many years accused Apple of anticompetitive practices in the music streaming business.

The company said that Apple Music has an unfair advantage over Spotify because iPhone owners can start a subscription within the app, while if Spotify wanted to allow the same thing it would have to pay Apple a 30% cut. Apple didn’t even allow Spotify to display subscription pricing within the app unless it implemented in-app purchases.

Spotify made a formal antitrust complaint to the EU back in 2019, and in March of this year the long-running EU investigation found Apple guilty and fined the company $2B.

Apple allows Spotify to display pricing

Earlier this year, Spotify tested the waters by issuing an update to its app which showed subscription prices. Apple rejected the update.

However, Spotify says Apple has now changed its mind and allowed the update.

We will finally be able to offer something as obvious as it is overdue: iPhone consumers in the EU will now see pricing information for Spotify in the app and the fact that they can go to our website to purchase items directly.

But the battle isn’t over

Apple is, however, still not allowing Spotify to actually link to the website within the app.

Unfortunately, Spotify and all music streaming services in the EU are still not able to freely give consumers a simple opportunity to click a link to purchase in app because of the illegal and predatory taxes Apple continues to demand, despite the Commission’s ruling.

Spotify is calling on the EU to instruct Apple to allow direct links.

9to5Mac’s Take

This is a big step toward resolving the dispute.

It’s a little hard to understand Apple’s thinking in not allowing a clickable link, however. It’s not like making users type the URL themselves is going to prove a barrier, and allowing the link would likely completely resolve the antitrust complaint.

As it is, Apple is leaving itself open to further legal action, all for the sake of making one word clickable.