Spotify and Apple have a long-standing history of disputes and tensions, particularly concerning Apple’s App Store policies. It has been seven years since Spotify stopped allowing users to sign up for its Premium subscription through the Apple App Store.
According to a report from Variety, Spotify is now informing customers who previously subscribed through the App Store that they can no longer continue to pay using Apple’s platform. The streaming music service has started sending emails to these users, notifying them of the need to change their payment method.
In the email, Spotify explains that it no longer accepts Apple’s billing service as a form of payment. At the end of the billing period, the users’ accounts will automatically switch to the free, ad-supported service. To maintain a Premium subscription, users will need to re-subscribe after their current billing period ends and their account has transitioned to the free account. The email advises subscribers to choose one of the payment methods accepted by Spotify, such as credit cards or PayPal, for starting a new subscription.
A Spotify executive stated that the company has begun notifying a small number of users whose Premium accounts are tied to a deprecated payment method. These users will be moved to a free account starting from their next billing cycle but will have the option to upgrade to a Premium account by logging into their account at Spotify.
The spokesperson added that these actions are aimed at ensuring a consistent, best-in-class subscription experience for all Spotify users.
Spotify has previously accused Apple of engaging in anti-competitive behavior by favoring its own music streaming app, Apple Music, within the App Store. In 2019, Spotify filed a complaint with the European Commission, alleging that Apple’s App Store rules violated EU competition laws. Apple responded by stating that it only collected a 15% fee on subscription payments for a small fraction of Spotify’s Premium subscribers.
