Spotify says its iPhone app updates in the EU are getting held up by Apple

Image: Nick Barclay / The Verge

Even aft Apple was hit with a $2 cardinal fine successful the European Union implicit years-old complaints from Spotify astir its App Store rules, Spotify says Apple is stonewalling updates issued successful compliance with that precise ruling. In an email to the European Commission obtained by The Verge, Spotify writes that Apple has “neither acknowledged nor responded to Spotify’s submission” to bring subscription pricing accusation into the app, preventing it from updating the app astatine each for its users, adjacent to enactment retired fixes for bugs oregon adhd different features.

On March 5th, Spotify submitted an update to Apple that puts links to Spotify’s website, on with pricing accusation for antithetic subscription options, straight successful the EU mentation of its app, without utilizing Apple’s outgo system. Spotify made the alteration successful effect to a ruling issued the time earlier by the European Commission, which said Apple’s anti-steering rules are “illegal” and ordered Apple to commencement allowing developers to see accusation astir “alternative and cheaper euphony subscription services.”

Apple responded to the determination connected March 4th by saying it would entreaty and pointing retired a database of “ways Apple creates worth for Spotify, astatine nary outgo to their company,” which happened to see this slug point:

Our App Review squad has reviewed and approved 421 versions of the Spotify app — usually with same-day turnaround — and often expedites reviews astatine Spotify’s request.

Image: Spotify Spotify’s update includes pricing accusation and links to subscriptions.

In the email, Spotify says it hasn’t heard backmost from Apple since submitting the update.

The institution writes that this is “yet different illustration of however Apple if unchecked, volition question to circumvent and/or not comply with the Commission’s decision.” It besides urges the European Commission to interaction Apple and requires that it o.k. Spotify’s changes. “Given Apple’s way record, Spotify is acrophobic that Apple’s hold is intentional and is aimed astatine delaying oregon avoiding compliance altogether,” the email reads.

“It’s been 9 days present and we’re inactive waiting to perceive from Apple astir our app submission to amusement EU consumers pricing and a nexus to our website, which we are present authorized to bash by the European Commission’s determination connected the euphony streaming case,” Spotify spokesperson Jeanne Moran says successful an emailed connection to The Verge. “Apple’s hold straight conflicts with their assertion that they crook astir reviews connected app submissions wrong 24 hours, and it besides flies successful the look of the timeline for adoption the Commission laid out.”

Apple didn’t supply a remark successful effect to a petition from The Verge.

This ruling is abstracted from the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations for large tech platforms that person lone been astir for astir a week, but the European Commission has already intervened successful effect to 1 of Apple’s DMA-related decisions. Earlier this month, Apple revoked Epic Games’ developer license due to the fact that of disapproval CEO Tim Sweeney made astir Apple’s DMA compliance plan. Epic Games got its developer licence backmost days later, citing “a swift inquiry” from the European Commission.