Apple vs Spotify
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2024
Apple claims:
- The European Commission claims the App Store has been a barrier to competition in the digital music market despite a lack of evidence of consumer harm and a thriving, competitive market.
- Spotify, based in Sweden, is the primary advocate for this decision and has met with the European Commission more than 65 times during the investigation.
- Spotify has a 56% share of Europe's music streaming market and pays Apple nothing for the services that have contributed to their success.
- The App Store has helped developers of all sizes build successful businesses, and 86% of developers never pay Apple a commission.
- Developers only pay Apple a commission when a user buys a paid app or an in-app digital good or service.
- Europe's digital music market has grown exponentially, with nearly 160 million subscribers in 2022, up from 25 million in 2015.
- Spotify has been downloaded, re-downloaded, or updated more than 119 billion times on Apple devices and is available in over 160 countries.
- Apple provides various tools, technologies, and services to Spotify at no cost, including APIs, frameworks, beta-testing tools, and app reviews.
- Spotify wants to rewrite the App Store rules in its favor, using Apple's tools and technologies without paying anything.
- The European Commission has tried to build three cases against Apple over eight years, with no evidence of consumer harm or anti-competitive behavior.
- The decision was issued just before the Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force, and Apple plans to comply with the DMA.
- Apple believes the decision is not grounded in existing competition law and will appeal the decision.
- Apple has been a part of Europe for over 40 years, supporting more than 2.5 million jobs across the continent.