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The app is rejected because Spotify tried to bypass the In-App Purchases system to obtain payment information form subscribers, thus bypassing the 30% cut Apple

The app is rejected because Spotify tried to bypass the In-App Purchases system to obtain payment information form subscribers, thus bypassing the 30% cut Apple takes. This isn't a new requirement at all. Spotify is free to remove signups all together from their App, requiring users already have signed up for an account on their website. This has always been an option.

raverbashing 10y ago
And this would be fine, except that Apple Music has an advantage here, because they don't get the 30% fee (or allow the user to sign up through the app) Spotify chose to fight this fight and I guess it's good for them
- SG- 10y ago
  Well they did build out the entire platform themselves.
  - Oletros 10y ago
    Apple built Spotify?
phn 10y ago
Yeap, bringing Apple Music to this discussion is disingenuous. The article is pretty light on details, but it seems Apple is simply asking Spotify to follow the rules all developers have to follow.
- ape4 10y ago
  Ignoring Apple Music is disingenuous
foota 10y ago
It didn't sound to me like spotify is directly signing up people through the app, rather that they are requesting them to sign up via the website.
pbarnes_1 10y ago
That's not how the rule works. You can sign people up. They can upgrade on your own site. As long as you don't tell them they can do that in the app. Spotify don't. They were communicating the promotion via email, outside the app, where Apple has no jurisdiction. A tonne of companies aren't paying Apple 30%. It's basically on a case by case basis -- if Apple likes you or not. They don't like Spotify.
- developer2 10y ago
  The rule and the fee are complete bullshit. 30% isn't even remotely viable. They should be charging equivalent to transaction fees, which would tally below 5%. Hopefully one day someone will find a law with which they can challenge the fee's insanity in court. Anti-competitiveness seems like the appropriate avenue; we just have to wait for a company to try their hand at it. At a bare minimum, apps must be allowed to explain to users in-app that they can reduce their payments by paying outside the app.
  - markonen 10y ago
    Isn't viable for whom? The $14 billion transacted through App Store payments to date would suggest that plenty of buyers and sellers have opted in to this market. They must realize that credit card processing isn't the only thing Apple is selling here.
  - rycfan 10y ago
    Why would they charge the equivalent of transaction fees when they (Apple) pays those fees? How would they make any money if they only charged transaction fees? I've run the numbers on products like this before. In order to absorb transaction fees, build your own product, and support it, fees need to be in the 10-15% range. Also, note that almost no companies charge less if you pay out of app -- the company just keeps more for themselves.
    - denzil_correa 10y ago
      > I've run the numbers on products like this before. In order to absorb transaction fees, build your own product, and support it, fees need to be in the 10-15% range. Apple does charge 10-15% for Spotify like apps viz. apps that sell subscriptions for more than 1 year. https://developer.apple.com/app-store/subscriptions/whats-new/ https://developer.apple.com/app-store/subscriptions/whats-ne... After a subscriber accumulates one year of paid service, your revenue increases to 85% of the subscription price, minus applicable taxes. All current subscriptions are eligible.

raverbashing 10y ago

And this would be fine, except that Apple Music has an advantage here, because they don't get the 30% fee (or allow the user to sign up through the app) Spotify chose to fight this fight and I guess it's good for them

SG- 10y ago
Well they did build out the entire platform themselves.
- Oletros 10y ago
  Apple built Spotify?

phn 10y ago

Yeap, bringing Apple Music to this discussion is disingenuous. The article is pretty light on details, but it seems Apple is simply asking Spotify to follow the rules all developers have to follow.

ape4 10y ago
Ignoring Apple Music is disingenuous

foota 10y ago

It didn't sound to me like spotify is directly signing up people through the app, rather that they are requesting them to sign up via the website.

pbarnes_1 10y ago

That's not how the rule works. You can sign people up. They can upgrade on your own site. As long as you don't tell them they can do that in the app. Spotify don't. They were communicating the promotion via email, outside the app, where Apple has no jurisdiction. A tonne of companies aren't paying Apple 30%. It's basically on a case by case basis -- if Apple likes you or not. They don't like Spotify.

developer2 10y ago
The rule and the fee are complete bullshit. 30% isn't even remotely viable. They should be charging equivalent to transaction fees, which would tally below 5%. Hopefully one day someone will find a law with which they can challenge the fee's insanity in court. Anti-competitiveness seems like the appropriate avenue; we just have to wait for a company to try their hand at it. At a bare minimum, apps must be allowed to explain to users in-app that they can reduce their payments by paying outside the app.
- markonen 10y ago
  Isn't viable for whom? The $14 billion transacted through App Store payments to date would suggest that plenty of buyers and sellers have opted in to this market. They must realize that credit card processing isn't the only thing Apple is selling here.
- rycfan 10y ago
  Why would they charge the equivalent of transaction fees when they (Apple) pays those fees? How would they make any money if they only charged transaction fees? I've run the numbers on products like this before. In order to absorb transaction fees, build your own product, and support it, fees need to be in the 10-15% range. Also, note that almost no companies charge less if you pay out of app -- the company just keeps more for themselves.
  - denzil_correa 10y ago
    > I've run the numbers on products like this before. In order to absorb transaction fees, build your own product, and support it, fees need to be in the 10-15% range. Apple does charge 10-15% for Spotify like apps viz. apps that sell subscriptions for more than 1 year. https://developer.apple.com/app-store/subscriptions/whats-new/ https://developer.apple.com/app-store/subscriptions/whats-ne... After a subscriber accumulates one year of paid service, your revenue increases to 85% of the subscription price, minus applicable taxes. All current subscriptions are eligible.