Apple Claims Spotify is Seeking 'Limitless Access' to its Tools Amid EU Fine

Apple accused Spotify of trying to gain "limitless access" to its tools without paying, amid the recent ruling of the European Commission to fine the company $500 million.

The bloc's decision stemmed from Spotify's previous complaint against Apple citing the anticompetitive practices of Apple against music streaming platforms.

Apple Defends Accusations Against App Store Practices in EU

Earlier this week, the EU announced that Apple is required to pay approximately $500 million in fines over its App Store rules. The EU ruled the decision after Spotify complained about Apple's 30% charging fee on in-app purchases for third-party apps.

In a recent statement, Apple argued against the anticompetitive accusations, citing that the company has been supportive of all developers. According to the company, Spotify does not pay for the services that helped establish its app.

"Fundamentally, their complaint is about trying to get limitless access to all of Apple's tools without paying anything for the value Apple provides," Apple said.

Apple also noted that when Spotify was formed in 2006, the music app had an option to link to its website for account creation and management. However, the latter opt out of it.

Spotify Retaliates Against Apple's Claim

Spotify quickly responded to Apple's claim that the company is trying to piggyback on its tools without paying. The music streaming company stated that its success happened even with Apple's effort to gain an "artificial advantage."

"We either have to deliver a poor user experience where we can't directly communicate how to buy or subscribe to Spotify on iPhones or we have to accept a 30% cost disadvantage against our biggest competitor," the company added.

Apple on the other hand has criticized the EU regulators for its decision. The tech giant remained firm that the Commission has no evidence to back up the anticompetitive behavior claim.

The EU's official decision is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.