Spotify is at war with Apple again. This time we’re talking about audiobooks.
Spotify launched an audiobook offering with 300,000 titles last month, but the platform claims in a blog post that Apple is engaging in “anti-competitive”behavior that is preventing a new deal. The company explains that the Cupertino-based company has rejected its audiobook purchase system three times for violating its rules. To comply, Spotify had to hide the prices of its audiobooks and make sales outside of the main app via an emailed link.
Spotify is at war with Apple again
All of this makes it harder for Spotify to compete in this market as users cannot easily compare prices. “[It] hurts not only consumers, but this time also the authors and publishers who are now under Apple’s heel.”It’s also very inconvenient for customers who are used to just clicking a link to purchase an audiobook.
Spotify’s audiobooks could easily have been accepted if the company followed the Apple Store guidelines, as Apple explains to The New York Times. “We provided them with clear guidance on how to resolve the issue and approved their app after changes were made to bring the app in line,” an Apple spokesperson said.
This time about audiobooks
Spotify could also sell its audiobooks through the App Store buy/sell system, but Apple would then take a 30% commission on those transactions, which would put Spotify’s audiobooks in a much less attractive position than those found on Apple Books. “With the launch of our audiobooks, Apple proves once again that it can do whatever it wants with its App Store rules, constantly changing things to the detriment of its competitors,”said Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify.
Spotify is already in a major battle with Apple over subscription music, arguing that the 30 percent fee hurts consumers. The European Commission has released a Statement of Objection after it concluded that the Cupertino-based company may be violating European laws, but a final verdict has yet to be announced. “Almost four years. This is a time that has passed since Spotify filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission, and we are still waiting for its decision, ”recalls Daniel Ek.