Apple approves Spotify app update that allows U.S. users to access pricing info, external payment links

CodeCanyon · May 2

Spotify said on Friday that Apple has approved its U.S. app update that will allow users to access pricing information and external payment links. The approval comes days after a U.S. judge ordered Apple to stop charging commissions on purchases through iPhone apps.

“In a victory for consumers, artists, creators, and authors, Apple has approved Spotify’s U.S. app update,” Spotify spokesperson Jeanna Moran said 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.”

She continued, “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.”

The updated app, version 9.0.40, is rolling out now on the App Store. Spotify is now one of the first major apps to get a new update, opening up purchases.

Spotify submitted the update to Apple yesterday, noting that it could tell customers about different subscription options and how much each one costs right within the iPhone app. Users will also be able to link out to purchase or change their Spotify subscription plan on the company’s website, where its transactions won’t be subject to Apple’s 30 percent service charge on in-app payments. Plus, Spotify said it would now be able to tell U.S. customers about promotional offers in the app.

Apple said on Wednesday that it will comply with the court’s order, but that it strongly disagrees with the decision and will appeal.

US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said on Wednesday that Apple violated an order to reform its App Store. The tech giant was told to change its app store to allow developers to send customers to their websites to make purchases. According to the ruling, Apple not only failed to comply with the order but did so willfully, with the intention of establishing new anticompetitive barriers.

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