Less than a month after Spotify file a schematic ill against Apple for its app storage praxis , a European Commission probe is moving forward , potentially threatening one of the Cupertino giant ’s cash Bos taurus .
Spotify go away on a promotional material tear last calendar month , coordinated with its antitrust charge , that admit astatementfrom chief executive officer Daniel Ek and a single - serve advocacy web site called Time To Play Fair . The thrust of both was the same : accusing that Apple received “ an unfair advantage at every bend , ” by coif up barriers and thwarting payment scenario for the music streaming service while its own competing service , Apple Music , was not subject to the same hurdles .
The received “ Apple tax”—a 30 - per centum fee applied to charges through the App Store — impel Spotify to raise its prices for users above what Apple Music was able to charge . And gallingly , Apple not only favored its own ware but played front-runner with other apps , agree to Spotify , which note Deliveroo and Uber both skirted the usual fee .
Spotify CEO Daniel EkPhoto: Drew Angerer (Getty)
With over 200 million exploiter , Spotify stay the largest music streaming service prevention none , though Apple Music recentlysurpassedthe Swedes in paid U.S. ratifier .
https://gizmodo.com/spotify-hits-apple-with-eu-antitrust-complaint-1833261337
Apple ’s retort pushed back on some of Spotify ’s more strident claims but failed to name Apple Music whatsoever . Overall , my colleague Rhett Jones found its counter - argumentsunconvincing — and seemingly so did the European Commission , according to theFinancial Times .
A formal European Commission investigation can be a protracted process . For instance , it begin prodding at Microsoft ’s bundling of Internet Explorer on its PCs in 2009 , and fines did not issue until aroundfour years afterward . Still , the commission has broad power to impose mulct or demand change in business practices , which , in this case , could sabotage a major revenue engine in Apple ’s portfolio . ( The App Store has generated at least$40 billionin subscription fee for Apple since its inception in 2015 . )
Europe ’s law - puddle eubstance have been on aregulatory tearagainstU.S.tech firmsrecently , but Apple App Store ’s potential monopoly position is under scrutiny domestically as well . The U.S. Supreme Court continues to brawl with Apple v. Pepper , a exchangeable antimonopoly suit aimed at the App Store ’s practices .
Spotify decline to point out specifically on the probe and Apple was not available to comment by the clock time of issue .
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