Spotify is emailing customers to request they stop subscribing to its Premium service via the iOS app.
The company isn’t trying to get rid of iPhone and iPad customers; it’s trying to save them a few quid on their monthly bill.
In the correspondence, reported by The Verge, Spotify points out the folk can save $3 (and, by proxy, £3) a month by subscribing to the service via Spotify.com instead.
It all comes down to the 30 per cent cut Apple takes for in-app subscriptions. Spotify accounts for this by charging $12.99/£12.99 a month for Premium access if the package is purchased within the app.
Of course, it’s no coincidence this message will be hitting the inboxes of Spotify subscribers just a week after the launch of Apple Music.
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With Apple and Spotify in direct competition for music-streaming revenue, the last thing the Swedish firm will want is its own customers contributing to Apple’s coffers.
“We like you just the way you are. Don’t change. Ever,” the message reads. “But if you want to change how much you pay for Spotify Premium, we’re here to help.”
Of course, a great majority of Spotify customers will have already cottoned on to this, but if it can enlighten the few who haven’t then it’ll be a worthwhile exercise for the company.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.