Apple and Spotify’s tensions escalates; here’s why

Cupertino-based technology giant Apple has responded to Spotify’s complaint with the EU antitrust regulators. The company said that the Spotify ‘wants all the benefits of a free app without being free.’ Earlier, Spotify had complained about Apple saying that the company ‘unfairly limits rivals to its own music streaming service’.

It should be noted that Apple too owns a music streaming service Apple Music through which iOS users can stream music online. Spotify blamed Apple that it was hindering with other music streaming rivals so that its own platform would be considered by the users instead of the other apps.

Apple’s App Store is fully controlled by the Cupertino-based technology firm and it decides what app should be kept on the App Store. Spotify said, “Apple’s control of its App Store deprived consumers of choice and rival providers of audio streaming services to the benefit of Apple Music, which began in 2015.” According to Spotify, Apple uses different ways by which it uses its power to make the App Sore an ‘uneven playing field’. To which Apple replied by rebutting most of the points made by Spotify saying ‘time to play fair’.

Spotify also mentioned that Apple’s Voice Assistant, Siri didn’t let the iPhone users play music from Spotify app, when asked to play music, Siri used the Apple Music app. Also, Apple had declined Spotify’s request about letting its app launch on the Apple Watch.

To Spotify’s claims Apple said that it has approved and distributed around 200 app updates in place of Spotify which resulted in over 300 million downloads of the app from the App Store. Apple said, “The only time we have requested adjustments is when Spotify has tried to sidestep the same rules that every other app follows. Spotify is free to build apps for – and compete on – our products and platforms, and we hope they do.”

Apple said that it reached out to Spotify for AirPlay 2 and Siri’s support on many occasions but the music streaming company said that they were working on it.

With the tension growing between one of the major music platforms and Apple, there seems to be no common ground on which both the companies agree to work on. It is not the first time Apple had been highlighted with troubles with other major platforms. Many companies are not letting their apps and services be available on Apple’s App Store because the company is asking an exorbitant amount of royalties and shares. This results in the companies not entering into a partnership with Apple. Netflix, Hulu, New York Times are examples of such companies.