Spotify: Apple hinders the development of the digital audiobook market
Spotify claims that Apple is hindering the growth and development of the digital audiobook market. The Swedish music streaming service claims that Apple imposes restrictions on developers that harm both creators and consumers of audiobooks.
According to Spotify In particular, Apple prevents developers from creating a seamless user experience in their apps. According to the company, the purchase process via the App Store would also be too complex and confusing. The Swedish streaming service also claims that Apple dares to change the rules of its own policy to disadvantage the competition. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek says Apple has repeatedly shown that the company will not regulate itself. The man mentions the complaint that Spotify filed with the European Commission three years ago about Apple’s alleged abuse of power in the App Store. In September, Ek also claimed that European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager was frustrated about the slow progress of the investigation into Apple.
The company also refers to an article in The New York Times in which it shares details about the admission process of Spotify app in the App Store now that app includes an audiobook playback feature. That article shows that Apple has not allowed a button in the Spotify app that allows users to request more information about purchasing audiobooks via the platform. This would be possible via the Google Play app store. Spotify was annoyed that it had to modify its app several times and have it approved by Apple before it was finally approved. Apple claimed that it provided the necessary support for Spotify to comply with the policy.
Spotify started offering audiobooks to its customers in the United States at the end of September. Unlike the music library and podcasts on the platform, users have to pay for these audiobooks individually. Spotify also directs users to its online web portal to purchase audiobooks. The company does this to avoid having to pay Apple a 30 percent commission on the purchase price of the audiobooks.
Spotify Audiobooks