Last week, we’ve reported that Spotify has claimed that Apple is squeezing them out of the App Store intentionally. Over the weekend, Apple has responded, and the story between both these companies have gotten a lot murkier.
In a letter sent to BuzzFeed News, Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell has stated that Spotify is asking for “preferential treatment” in the App Store’s approval process. “We find it troubling that you are asking for exemptions to the rules we apply to all developers, and are publicly resorting to rumours and half-truths about our service,” writes Sewell. “There is nothing in Apple’s conduct that ‘amounts to a violation of applicable antitrust laws.’ Far from it. I would be happy to facilitate an expeditious review and approval of your app as soon as you provide us with something that is compliant with the App Store’s rules.”
This is what @Apple wants you to believe violates their rules. No offer, no purchase, no link to anywhere at all. pic.twitter.com/WzLDvWw2In
— jonathan prince (@jonathanmprince) July 1, 2016
Spotify has since responded in a Tweet as shown above. Needless to say, this is just the calm before the storm as it seems that neither Spotify nor Apple will be backing down in this case.
Source: BuzzFeed News, The Verge