Spotify and Different Media Companies Ask EU to Take Motion In opposition to Apple’s ‘Unfair’ App Store Practices

Music streaming service Spotify, together with different media companies akin to Deezer, urged the European Commission to take motion towards Apple for anticompetitive and unfair practices, in a joint business letter on Wednesday.

The letter, addressed to the European Union antitrust regulator’s Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, demanded the Commission to behave quick for the welfare of European shoppers.

Spotify has for years accused Apple of abusing its market place utilizing its App Store guidelines to stifle competitors.

It has beforehand submitted antitrust complaints towards Apple in varied nations, alleging the 30 p.c cost Apple requires builders to pay on its App Store has pressured Spotify to “artificially inflate” its personal costs.

“We are writing to you to call for swift and decisive action by the European Commission against anticompetitive and unfair practices by certain global digital gatekeepers, and Apple in particular,” learn the letter, which was signed by chief executives of media companies Schibsted, Proton and Basecamp.

Spotify’s Chief Executive Daniel Ek had beforehand stated the iPhone maker “gives itself every advantage while at the same time stifling innovation and hurting consumers”.

Apple didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark.

Last month, Ek renewed his assault on Apple in a sequence of tweets alleging the iPhone maker “gives itself every advantage while at the same time stifling innovation and hurting consumers”. He had tagged various sympathetic enterprise leaders in his 21-tweet thread, together with Musk, Microsoft president Brad Smith, and Proton founder Andy Yen.

“So how much longer will we look away from this threat to the future of the internet? How many more consumers will be denied choice? There’s been a lot of talk. Talk is helpful but we need action,” Ek had tweeted.