As a result of a long-standing feud with app store operator Apple, Spotify is now taking drastic action and terminating some users’ streaming subscriptions.
Since 2016, Spotify has not offered the option of subscribing via the app from the App Store. The background is the fee that Apple charges for all purchases made through the store. However, anyone who had previously subscribed to Apple’s payment system could continue to pay the Spotify bill in this way. This is no longer possible in the future.
Affected subscribers will receive an email
Currently, Spotify users who pay for the subscription via in-app purchases will receive an email notifying them of this change, as reported by entertainment magazine Variety. The company no longer accepts payments through Apple’s billing service, the email said. Spotify also announces that it will automatically switch the accounts of affected users to the free, advertising-supported offer. If you want to continue using Spotify Premium, you have to re-subscribe.
However, Spotify’s premium subscription cannot be taken out via the app from the App Store. Users whose account the company switches to the free version must therefore go to the website spotify.com/de/premium go and place the order there. Accepted forms of payment include PayPal, credit and debit cards, gift cards and prepaid cards.
When asked by TECHBOOK, a Spotify spokeswoman confirmed the process:
“We’ve recently started notifying a small number of users that an old payment method that those users’ premium accounts were linked to is no longer being used. Users who receive an email will be automatically upgraded to a free account starting with the next billing cycle. They then have the option to upgrade to a premium account by logging into their account on Spotify.com. These actions help ensure we can continue to provide a consistent, premium subscription experience for all of our users.”
Spotify spokeswoman
Spotify has long opposed app store fees
By outsourcing the checkout process, Spotify avoids the fee that Apple charges for all payments for apps and in-app purchases originating from the App Store. However, according to Apple’s guidelines, the company cannot simply point out alternative payment options in the app. Apple even blocked an update for the Spotify app at the end of 2022 because it allegedly referred to payment via the website too directly.
Those customers who subscribed through the App Store between 2014 and 2016 were the only ones Spotify still had to pay the fee for. These customers make up only a small part of the more than 100 million Spotify subscribers. Nevertheless, the company apparently promises additional gains from forcing these users to switch.
Spotify, on the other hand, was able to reach an agreement with Google. Users who download the app from the Play Store can choose whether they want to pay via the Google payment system or directly via Spotify.