Apple fires back at Spotify over app update dispute

Apple has fired back after Spotify took the company to task for rejecting an app update.

In a letter sent by Apple's top lawyer, the Cupertino company accuses the music streaming platform of asking for special treatment while blasting it for "rumors and half-truths."

In the letter, first reported by BuzzFeed, Apple's General Counsel Bruce Sewell notes that Spotify has "benefited enormously" from Apple's App Store and asks the company to update its app to bring it in line with the App Store's developer guidelines.

The spat stems from a rejected App Store update to the Spotify app. Spotify apparently offered a promotion to users who signed up for the service on its website rather than within the app, which would require the music streaming company to share some of the revenue with Apple.

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In a letter sent earlier in the week, Spotify's top lawyer called Apple's behavior "anticompetitive" and said the company "uses the App Store approval process as a weapon to harm competitors."

But Apple fired back Friday accusing the company of unfairly asking for special treatment. "Our investment in the App Store is not trivial -- any great retailer will tell you there is an incredible amount of effort that goes into maintaining their store," Sewell writes.

"However, if a customer chooses to sign up for a digital product outside of the App Store the developer does not pay us anything, and their content will still work inside of Apple devices. To imply that Spotify should not have to pay to avail itself of the benefits of Apple's hard work, just as every other developer does, would give you a tremendous advantage over other developers. It's simply unfair and unreasonable."

"We understand you want special treatment and protections from competition, but we simply will not do that because we firmly adhere to the principle of treating all developers fairly and equally."

Sewell also points out that Apple recently changed its rules for app subscriptions so that companies like Spotify can keep more revenue from app subscriptions after the first year.

What happens next is unclear. It would seem that one of the companies would have to budge.

While Sewell doesn't go as far to say that Apple would remove the app from its store, he says implies that the app won't be approved for an update until Spotify falls in line.

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