Spotify has filed an antitrust criticism towards Apple with the European Commission, as CNBC studies. In a blog post, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek cited Apple’s “discriminatory tariffs” relating to their proprietary App Store, together with a 30 p.c “tax” imposed on any upgrades from Spotify’s Free to Premium service for iPhone customers. Ek additionally decried “unfair restrictions on marketing and promotions that benefit consumers” when it got here to reaching Spotify clients throughout the Apple ecosystem.
“We aren’t seeking special treatment. We simply want the same treatment as numerous other apps on the App Store, like Uber or Deliveroo, who aren’t subject to the Apple tax and therefore don’t have the same restrictions,” he wrote. “So, let me be clear that this is not a Spotify-versus-Apple issue. We want the same fair rules for companies young and old, large and small.”
Apple have been accused of antitrust motion up to now. In November 2018, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments within the long-running case Apple v. Pepper, during which a gaggle of iPhone homeowners accused the corporate of monopolizing the marketplace for iPhone apps, claiming the 30 p.c fee is a monopoly hire. The ruling on that case continues to be pending.
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