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.
