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After prolonged negotiations, Spotify announced that it had received approval from Apple to display pricing information within its iOS app for users in the European Union.
This development follows the enforcement of new antitrust guidelines specific to music streaming apps under the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Spotify is leveraging these guidelines rather than adopting Apple’s updated business rules.
The clash between Spotify and Apple intensified over an app update that would enable Spotify to inform EU users about pricing details.
Earlier this year, European regulators fined Apple a significant €1.84 billion (nearly $2 billion USD) for violating antitrust regulations in the digital market.
With Apple’s recent approval, Spotify can now display prices for various services directly within the app. This marks a notable shift, as users can now see the costs associated with Spotify’s offerings, including subscription plans that feature audiobook streaming and options to purchase additional listening hours.
Spotify Still Faces Subscription Restrictions
However, Spotify remains restricted in certain areas. The company cannot provide direct links to its website within the app, as this would require it to pay Apple a 27% commission on sales—a fee Spotify is unwilling to incur. As a result, the app will only include non-hyperlinked references to Spotify’s website without explicitly mentioning “spotify.com.”
To coincide with this update, Spotify plans to launch a promotion in the EU, offering new users the first three months of service for free if they upgrade their subscription through the Spotify website—a move it has been able to implement on Android without issue.
While Spotify acknowledges this approval as progress, it stresses that this is only a small step toward its ultimate goal: the ability to link directly from its iOS app to its website for purchases without facing Apple’s commission fees.
Despite the European Commission’s ruling, the company emphasized that it continues to fight against what it views as Apple’s “illegal and predatory” fees.
