Music Industry

Apple and Spotify: IT’S WAR!

Spotify has more users than any other dedicated streaming music service (We’ll put YouTube aside for this one). Apple hates that. It’s war. From Music Business Weekly:

“You discovered a premium feature! You must have a Premium subscription to unlock it.”

This is the message Spotify wants to pop up in front of users of its ad-supported service – but says Apple won’t let it.

According to the Swedish streaming platform’s Jonathan Prince, Apple has told Spotify that the message violates its App Store rules – despite, he says today, it not linking to any offer, purchase or outside website.

Apple takes a very different view on things.

This is the latest development in a major fallout between the two companies that started off technical, but is getting increasingly ill-tempered.

The outcome stands to have serious consequences for music rightsholders everywhere.

“As a valued developer in the App Store, we’re disappointed with the public attacks you’ve made and appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight.”

So goes the beginning of a private letter from Apple’s General Counsel, Bruce Sewell (pictured inset), to his equivalent at Spotify, Horacio Gutierrez, sent on Friday (July 1) – which just-so-happens to have since found its way online.

It’s three pages long, and contains a series of slaps in the face to Spotify.

Keep reading.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 37451 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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