(FILES) This illustration picture taken on April 19, 2018 shows the logo of online streaming music service Spotify displayed on a tablet screen in Paris. - Swedish music streaming provider Spotify said on April 19, 2019 that it had amassed 100 million paying subscribers, but the company also fell back into the red and reported a first quarter operating loss. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP)
Brussels looks like the next battlefield for music streaming. Spotify Technology SA wants the European Union to probe Apple Inc over the 30% cut of paid subscriptions that it takes from App Store vendors. (The levy falls to 15% after a year).
While Europe’s top antitrust official Margrethe Vestager says it’s too early to say if a probe will happen, it would make sense. Spotify isn’t the only third-party app to have a beef with the skewed economics of the iPhone, and Apple hasn’t done a good job defending its practices. The Swedish music streaming company’s case is strengthened by Apple being one of its biggest competitors.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
