Just one day after a U.S. federal judge ordered Apple to loosen its App Store restrictions, Spotify moved fast. The company released an iPhone app update now live in the App Store that lets users view subscription pricing and link out to Spotify’s own website to complete payments.
Apple approved the update, signaling a major shift in how developers can engage users outside of the App Store’s ecosystem.
Spotify has long criticized Apple’s in-app payment rules which previously barred developers from advertising or linking to external subscription options. Under Apple’s system, in-app purchases typically incur a 30% commission. Spotify avoided that fee by not offering in-app subscriptions at all but also wasn’t allowed to tell users where or how to subscribe elsewhere.
That all changed when Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple cannot block developers from directing users to third-party websites for payments. Apple also cannot impose a fee on those out-of-app purchases. While Apple says it will appeal the decision, it has complied for now and approved Spotify’s update.
With the new app version, Spotify Premium subscribers in the U.S. can now view prices for Individual, Duo, Family, and Student plans directly within the app. Buttons take users to Spotify’s website where they can complete payment using external methods. The update also enables users to explore promotions and switch subscription tiers more easily.
Spotify called the approval “a victory for consumers, artists, creators, and authors,” and said this marks the beginning of “a new era” for app developers who want to compete on a level playing field. The company added that it can now offer lower prices and greater transparency to U.S. consumers.
We can now give consumers lower prices, more control, and easier access to the Spotify experience. There is more work to do, but today represents a significant milestone for developers and entrepreneurs everywhere who want to build and compete on a more level playing field. It’s the opening act of a new era, and we could not be more ready for the show.
However, the speed at which Spotify rolled out this change raises another question among longtime Apple users. If Spotify can move this quickly when money is involved, why hasn’t it addressed long-requested features like native HomePod support or AirPlay 2?
Spotify still lacks integration with Apple’s smart speakers and AirPlay 2 despite these technologies being available for years. While services like Pandora adopted Apple’s default music player option after it was introduced in 2019, Spotify held back during its feud with Apple. As a result, Apple device users are left with outdated first-gen AirPlay support which lacks multi-room audio and causes playback interruptions.
Spotify clearly has the resources to act fast when it sees a business opportunity. Now that it’s free to bypass Apple’s commission, maybe some of that effort will finally go into improving the Apple user experience.
