Apple Allows Spotify to Show Pricing Info to EU Users in iPhone App

Spotify says it has received approval from Apple to display pricing information in its iOS app for users in the European Union, following its years-long legal struggle with the company.

Spotify says that from Wednesday, iPhone users in the EU will be informed of pricing information in the app and the fact that they can go to the company’s website to purchase items directly.

“EU iPhone consumers will now benefit from seeing our end of summer promotional pricing,” said Spotify in an updated blog post. “They’ll also finally be able to see how much a Premium plan of their choosing costs once the promotion ends.”

The music streamer is not opting into Apple’s complicated new business rules under the Digital Markets Act, but is instead taking advantage of Apple’s “entitlement” for music streaming services – a result of the European Commission’s decision on March 4 which found that Apple violated the EU’s antitrust laws and fined them over €1.8 billion.

A consequence of this approach is that Spotify is still not able to let users click a lick to make purchases from outside the App Store. Spotify could have done so if it had opted in to Apple’s new developer terms, but it would also have had to give Apple a cut of any off-platform sales, and the company does not see that as a viable option.

“Unfortunately, Spotify and all music streaming services in the EU are still not able to freely give consumers a simple opportunity to click a link to purchase in app because of the illegal and predatory taxes Apple continues to demand, despite the Commission’s ruling.

“The fight continues. iPhone consumers everywhere deserve basic information about how much things cost, when they can take advantage of great deals and promotions, and where to go to buy those things online. If the European Commission properly enforces its decision, iPhone consumers could see even more wins, like lower cost payment options and better product experiences in the app.”

Spotify has been in a legal spat with Apple in the EU since 2019, when it filed an antitrust complaint over App Store rules. As recently as March Spotify complained to the Commission that Apple was failing to approve a Spotify update that adds information on subscription pricing and links its website.