Spotify’s subscription fees and policies aren’t likely to change, as Apple’s upcoming changes to App Store app subscription terms don’t address some issues the streaming service is concerned with, according to a Spotify executive.
The App Store’s upcoming changes will still prevent “price flexibility,” Spotify’s head of corporate communications and global policy — Jonathan Prince — told The Verge. That means that the company can’t provide conditional sales or discounts, something it’s known for elsewhere.
While Spotify usually charges $9.99 per month for a premium subscription, it occasionally offers discounts, such as a three-month trial subscription for $0.99, something it is unable to do through the iOS app, where subscribers have to pay $12.99 per month when they sign up through the app. The higher fee is charged by the streaming service to compensate for Apple’s 30% cut of the action.
Also of concern to Spotify, and other subscription services, is the lack of data available about subscribers who choose to go through the iOS app.
“Apple still insists on inserting itself between developers and their customers, which means developers will continue to lack visibility into why customers churn — or who even qualifies as a long-term subscriber,”says Prince.
