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Spotify, together with Google, Apple, Meta and other tech giants, is preparing to contribute significant changes to key services to comply with new EU rules (we are talking about the Digital Markets Act), or DMA (Digital Market Act), which will come into effect on March 7. A significant part of these changes is the launch by the largest music streaming company of its own payment system within the application for iOS.
With the entry into force of the sensational DMA rules, which, among other things, prohibit hidden fees, Spotify will offer EU users (Ukraine has a good chance of becoming a full member of the European Union by 2030) the opportunity to purchase a premium subscription or switch from individual plan to a Duo or Family plan directly in the application – bypassing the App Store.
Regarding Spotify, the streaming service has not allowed users to pay for subscriptions through Apple's internal payment system since 2016 and has long criticized the 30% payment fee the iPhone maker charges app developers. Last year, Spotify completely stopped using Apple's payment system; it previously allowed iOS users who subscribed before 2016 to continue paying through Apple's internal payment system.
Spotify separately notes that with the introduction of support for internal payments, users will also be able to buy audiobooks from the library directly in the same application – without the need to switch to external resources. Streaming promises «fair prices for subscriptions and purchases without additional payment of Apple's additional commission (+30%)». Spotify will also be able to show subscription prices, as well as inform iOS users about offers and promotions directly in the application – this is currently prohibited by the App Store rules, so streaming is limited to a note where you can see prices, and informs about the inability to pay for a subscription in the application .
Finally, it’s worth mentioning the popular saying about “free cheese.” The question is how much less Spotify's fees will be and whether consumers will actually get lower prices. These changes apply only to the EU, while in the US and other countries the legislation is different – and Apple is actively protecting its own business model and its money. This is part of a larger story of protest by Spotify, Epic and others against the rules of the App Store – more about it here.
The Technology section is published with the support of Favbet Tech
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