Spotify may be sticking its neck out by filing an anti-trust complaint against Apple with the European Commission. But it has been backed by two other music-streaming services already: Deezer and Anghami. The former is less of a surprise, since Deezer has previously joined Spotify in writing to the EC about the wider question of ‘access to platforms’ including app stores.
“Streaming is one of the most competitive industries in the world. We fully support Spotify in wanting there to be a level playing field. Companies should be able to compete through innovation, content and customer focus,” Deezer’s spokesperson told Music Ally yesterday. “Right now that’s not the case. iOS and Apple users who love music streaming are disenfranchised, with higher fees and less realistic options as a result. We look forward to the European Commission’s response to Spotify and will follow the issue closely.”
Meanwhile, Anghami’s co-founder Elie Habib told MBW that it also backs Spotify’s move. “I think the entire music streaming industry stands behind Spotify in this battle – because it’s blatantly anti-competitive,” said Habib, citing a similar list of concerns to Spotify about how Apple restricts third-party music-streaming services.
Spotify did come in for some criticism yesterday, tying the EC complaint back to its current appeal against higher songwriter-royalty rates in the US. “Right now, Spotify’s position is that it would like to keep more money from subscriptions while denying more of it to artists,” suggested Slate. “It’s too bad that this nascent critic of Apple’s power hasn’t spent much time examining its own.”
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