
Dustee Jenkins Chief Public Affairs Officer, Spotify
Five years ago, I sat in a conference room with key members of our legal team, several antitrust experts and Spotify founder & CEO, Daniel Ek. The topic at hand: Apple denied Spotify's app update and sent a new set of restrictions that would once again further limit our ability to conduct business in its app store. After careful consideration and lots of hand wringing, we decided we'd had enough. So weeks later, we took a step that seemed almost impossible but totally necessary: fight back against one of the biggest, most powerful (and beloved) companies in the world to protect the future of the internet economy.
Of course, we did this because Apple's practices were harming Spotify, but we also did it because we believe companies should be able to compete to the very best of their ability for the hearts and minds of consumers. And we also believe consumers should have access to all the information they need to make better, more affordable choices for them and their families. Sounds pretty reasonable to me. But sadly, these beliefs are in direct conflict with how companies, like Apple, have built their businesses to benefit their bottom lines.
This isn't some empty warning-the world is moving faster than ever. Every day that passes without regulatory intervention, consumers continue paying too much, many developers' dreams die on the vine under a 30% tax they can't afford and Apple's monopolistic roots take an even stronger hold.
Five years later, while we are finally seeing some momentum in Europe, there has not been enough progress worldwide. Apple has continued to enjoy-and profit from-the status quo while everything else in the world has seemingly advanced forward. In the absence of meaningful government action, Apple gets a free pass to do whatever it pleases and consumers are paying the price.
This is incredibly frustrating-especially when I think about how many consumers around the world are being impacted. Apple denies consumers' ability to choose for themselves, forcing them to pay more for apps, limiting their user experience and preventing them from hearing about cheaper options.
It's even more frustrating when you realize the actual reason Apple is doing this: to protect their own bottom line. As their product sales continue to slow, their services business becomes even more critical to their financial performance. So to defend their multi-trillion dollar monopoly, they are pouring even more resources into maintaining their stranglehold over the App Store.
We feel this acutely at Spotify. As a company that always focuses on building a simple, intuitive and seamless experience for users, Apple's artificial constraints are stifling and we know our users deserve better.
Recently, we launched audiobooks on Spotify and we were beyond thrilled to connect authors with millions of fans. But Apple stood in the way and our engineers were forced to create a complicated, multi-step process for audiobooks that users don't want or deserve. It was a subpar experience, that honestly, we were embarrassed to deliver but felt bullied into. (If you want to see what we wanted to deliver vs. what we had to, check it out here.)
But that's not all. Outside of the audiobooks issue, we can't do the following things on Apple:
Tell customers what our prices are to upgrade Premium membership options;
Let our customers request an email or other communication telling them about the ways they can save money;
Provide our customers with different payment options beyond what Apple mandates (e.g. a credit card or PayPal, etc.); or
Deliver new product enhancements or introduce new features to our customers without Apple's explicit approval.
In many cases to get these approvals, we first have to share our proprietary strategies with Apple-our competition-and there are no restrictions on what Apple can do with that information. I don't know about you, but I'd prefer not to be forced to share sensitive business plans with our biggest competitor, giving them insights from which they can copy, learn and gain an unfair advantage. But that's our reality as well as many other developers who also compete with Apple.
Apple also picks and chooses which app developers in the App Store have to pay them a 30% tax. Often, customers end up paying this extra cost. In contrast, Apple's own apps don't have to pay this tax (like Apple Music), and they come pre-installed on the iPhone so consumers see and pay for Apple's apps first.
I am proud that Spotify has helped to give a voice to a growing coalition of app developers big and small who are impacted by this behavior. But when does the talking stop and action finally start?
Knowing that Apple is not just going to change on their own volition, regulators in Europe have taken up the mantle to intervene in Apple's app store dominance. With the passing of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Europeans may start to feel relief soon, assuming Europe delivers effective enforcement.
In the UK, Parliament is working on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers bill (DMCC), which will similarly target dominant companies like Apple and ideally force them to compete more fairly. I am hopeful that it will have the impact consumers need and deserve.
And in the US, we also see light on the horizon with Congress poised to reintroduce the Open App Markets Act - a bill that would require Apple to stop its practices that prohibit other companies from providing options for consumers to pay in a variety of ways and letting companies like Spotify talk to customers directly. The fire has also been lit in countries like Japan, South Korea, and Brazil, which are realizing that Apple has been dictating the rules for far too long.
Someone re
Most recent headlines
04/12/2023
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, announced the release of Dalet Cut, the cloud-native, lightning-fast multimedia a...
30/09/2023
With this summers strikes hurting the flow of new content into TV and streaming platforms, live sports have become an even more important programming staple, wi...
30/09/2023
Viewing of the second GOP debate on Sept. 27 fell to 4.1 million homes, a notable 39% drop from the 6.6 million homes that watched that first GOP debate, accord...
30/09/2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. In the long-running regulatory saga of the FCC's station ownership rules, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has issued a rulin...
30/09/2023
Calrec Audio Ltd. will feature its latest solutions to help broadcasters and OB suppliers transition to IP workflows at NAB Show New York, Oct. 25 26....
30/09/2023
Northern Minnesota residents can watch live City Council meetings and more on all viewing platforms thanks to broad network stream support
Between support for...
30/09/2023
The classic Instreamer-to-Exstreamer combination comes through for Spanish language audiences in the United States and Mexico, with the Instreamer handling remo...
30/09/2023
Zeros in Ones Hits the Road with AJA's Dante AV 4K-R and 4K-T
Brie Clayton September 29, 2023
0 Comments
As founder of video production company Zer...
30/09/2023
Arcturus Appoints Former Microsoft and Lucasfilm Veteran Steve Sullivan as Chief...
30/09/2023
Vodafone Studios Boosts Audiovisual Production Capabilities with Blackmagic Desi...
30/09/2023
Moving Above LTO - How Cloud Storage Helps One Texas Church Deliver a Modern Dig...
30/09/2023
New Pass the Mic Podcast to Highlight Inspiring Berklee Alumni Listen to the first episode featuring Captain Marvel composer Pinar Toprak B.M. '00.
By
Dan...
30/09/2023
Live from the 2023 Ryder Cup: Sky Sports Virtual Studio in UK Plays Big Role in ...
29/09/2023
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a fro...
29/09/2023
You might know all the songs and albums of your favorite musicians, but do you know the experiences and inspirations behind their work? Luckily, you can find ou...
29/09/2023
There are times when the daily grind might not leave you feeling the most inspired. But it doesn't always have to be like that. Words of wisdom may be just ...
29/09/2023
Sometimes you might notice a thoughtful review from a friend on your feed, or stumble upon a flash summary straight out of your favorite social influencer's...
29/09/2023
Whether it's chilling on the couch or crashing into bed, nothing beats settling into a nice long rest at the end of the day. And few things are more frustra...
29/09/2023
Which was better, the book or the movie?
It's a common argument that has withstood the test of time and has only gotten stronger as more and more hit tele...
29/09/2023
Whether you like to begin your day the moment you get out of bed or ease gently into it with a cup of coffee, you can count on audiobooks to boost your mornings...
29/09/2023
With elaborate storytelling, immersive worlds, and an enthusiastic fandom hyping it up, getting into a new book can be an exciting and fun moment. And with the ...
29/09/2023
Fans flock to music festivals to see dozens of their favorite artists in one go,...
29/09/2023
Now streaming on Disney+, Launchpad Season 2 comprises six original live-action short films from underrepresented filmmakers whose unique voices bring new persp...
29/09/2023
Wasabi hot cloud storage is purpose-built to store the world's data. Wasabi ...
29/09/2023
Sohonet, the global experts in media collaboration for the film and TV industry, announce a series of significant product updates set to redefine and streamline...
29/09/2023
Current and incoming L3Harris innovations provide warfighters immersive battlefield awareness capabilities during the day and at night - with the ability to pus...
29/09/2023
After graduating high school at the age of 16, I left my native Venezuela and moved to Miami, Florida, with the goal of becoming an electrical engineer. The fol...
29/09/2023
L3Harris employees in Mirabel, Quebec, proudly wore their Mother Bear Energy shirts on September 28, 2023....
29/09/2023
The 2023 edition of GSMA MWC Las Vegas saw a rise in attendees from vertical ind...
29/09/2023
Timed to coincide with the Utah Jazz's 50th season celebration, SEG Media has launched the direct-to-consumer streaming service Jazz+, which offers exclusiv...
29/09/2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) hosted a virtual town hall for members on Sept. 28 where it provided updates on NAB's policy...
29/09/2023
SINGAPORE Ikegami has announced that RE:LIVE Productions, one of Singapore's leading providers of creative video, event management and live streaming servic...
29/09/2023
- The popular showcase for the latest production solutions, technology and insights returns for its third year -
CVP, one of Europe s leading resellers and pro...
29/09/2023
Well known for cross-divisional collaboration and staying connected with our for...
29/09/2023
Berklee Abu Dhabi Convenes Community Leaders for Creative Arts Educators Symposi...
29/09/2023
TransUnion said it is working with Crackle Connex, Chicken Soup For the Soul Entertainment's advertising sales unit, to create custom audiences from first-p...
29/09/2023
Spotify and Roku said they are bringing video ads to the Spotify app on the Roku platform....
29/09/2023
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is moving from HBO to Disney Plus and ABC....
29/09/2023
Auto entertainment network Speedvision said it is available as a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel on Xumo Play....
29/09/2023
Scripps News said it hired Chris Nguyen as an anchor....
29/09/2023
The first-ever People's Choice Country Awards happens on NBC and Peacock Thursday, September 28. Little Big Town hosts from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nash...
29/09/2023
Seeing their docuseries Rebuilding Black Wall Street appear on the Oprah Winfrey...
29/09/2023
Scripps News got its first national News Emmy for its docuseries In Real Life. Scripps News won in the outstanding science, technology or environmental coverage...
29/09/2023
John Brohel has been named chief executive officer of Locality, formed in June when CoxReps and Gamut were combined....
29/09/2023
An animal act has won season 18 of America's Got Talent, as Adrian Stoica and his dog Hurricane were the top vote getters. They won $1 million and join the ...
29/09/2023
Zest4.tv's managing director, Simon Roe, looks at the ways in which compact OB Vans are the epitome of efficiency, proving that size does not limit their po...
29/09/2023
TVBEurope talks to the team behind the film about Eddie Jones and the Japanese r...
29/09/2023
Ashish Patel has been appointed president, MediaKind operator platforms, and Tony Goncalves joins as strategic advisor
By Jenny Priestley
Published: Septembe...
29/09/2023
Building on the momentum of major product announcements and award wins at NAB Show earlier this year, Chyron last week concluded a successful showing at IBC2023...
29/09/2023
Visit Matrox Video at Smart Building Expo 2023 in Hall 6P, Stand B37
Technology innovator Matrox Video today announced its lineup for the Smart Building Expo 2...