After years of waiting, Spotify has confirmed that Apple has officially approved its U.S. app update, allowing users to view subscription pricing and access external payment links directly from within the iPhone app. This major update comes just days after a U.S. judge ruled that Apple must stop charging its usual commission on purchases made through iPhone apps.
In a victory for consumers, artists, creators, and authors, Apple has approved Spotify’s U.S. app update, said Spotify spokesperson Jeanna Moran in a statement to TechCrunch.
” After nearly a decade, this will finally allow us to freely show clear pricing information and links to purchase, fostering transparency and choice for U.S. consumers.”
Spotify added that users in the U.S. will now be able to:
- See exactly how much each subscription plan costs
- Get direct links to Spotify’s own website for purchases or plan changes
- Learn about promotional offers all inside the app
The updated app version 9.0.40 is already rolling out on the App Store. Spotify became one of the first major apps to take advantage of this new change, avoiding Apple’s usual 30% service charge on in-app transactions by sending users to its own site instead.
We can now give consumers lower prices, more control, and easier access to the Spotify experience, Jeanna Moran added.
“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.”
This shift happened after U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found that Apple had failed to follow a previous court order to allow developers to link to their websites for payments. The judge said Apple had acted willfully and created new anti competitive barriers. Apple said it would follow the order but still strongly disagrees with the ruling and plans to appeal.
Administrator