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UK regulator sets roadmap for reviewing app store payment rules

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Apple • 3 min read

UK regulator sets roadmap for reviewing app store payment rules

Last year the UK’s competition regulator closed an investigation into the Apple App Store rules that Spotify hates, but only so it could figure out how to use new powers it had been granted by Parliament. Now it’s done that, it’s proposed a roadmap for reviewing the hated rules, starting this autumn…

Chris Cooke • 24 Jul 2025

We are just another victim in the shameful lineage of Apple intimidation and bullying, cries Musi

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Apple • 3 min read

We are just another victim in the shameful lineage of Apple intimidation and bullying, cries Musi

Music app Musi has filed new papers in its ongoing bid to get reinstated to Apple’s App Store. Apple recently said Musi and its lawyers should be sanctioned by the court for making already disproven claims in an amended lawsuit. Musi has hit back arguing that it’s Apple that should be sanctioned…

Chris Cooke • 28 May 2025

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Apple • 2 min read

Forced change to Apple App Store rules has resulted in more Spotify Premium sign-ups

A US court has agreed to fast-track Apple’s appeal of an injunction that forces it to allow developers to link to external payment options from within their apps, but declined to pause the injunction in the short term. Spotify says the injunction has already resulted in an uplift in premium sign-ups…

Chris Cooke • 23 May 2025

Musi faked email from Universal exec in attempt to stop App Store ban says Apple lawyer

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Musi • 3 min read

Musi faked email from Universal exec in attempt to stop App Store ban says Apple lawyer

Music app Musi is suing Apple, which kicked it out of the App Store last year. In a new filing, Apple says an amended lawsuit filed by Musi contains false claims. It also alleges that Musi once faked an email from Universal Music to convince Apple that a complaint from the major had been addressed…

Chris Cooke • 07 May 2025

Apple won’t be forced to let Musi back into its app store, rules judge

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Musi • 2 min read

Apple won’t be forced to let Musi back into its app store, rules judge

Apple kicked music app Musi out of its App Store last September. Musi has sued and wants a preliminary injunction forcing Apple to immediately reinstate its app. A judge has declined to issue that injunction, saying Apple’s terms clearly say it can remove any apps at any time “with or without cause”…

Chris Cooke • 03 Feb 2025

Congress warns Apple and Google: get ready to boot TikTok from US app stores

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TikTok • 2 min read

Congress warns Apple and Google: get ready to boot TikTok from US app stores

After a Washington DC court declined to overturn or even pause the US law that says TikTok will be banned unless current owner ByteDance sells the app by 19 Jan, two Congress members have now told Apple and Google to prepare to remove TikTok from their respective app stores…

Chris Cooke • 16 Dec 2024

Labels told Apple six times to kick Musi out of App Store, new legal filing reveals

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Musi • 2 min read

Labels told Apple six times to kick Musi out of App Store, new legal filing reveals

In September, Apple kicked music app Musi out of its App Store following a complaint from YouTube. Musi then sued Apple. In response, Apple says that it also received numerous complaints from the record industry, and that Musi knows what the issues are with its repurposing of YouTube content…

Chris Cooke • 19 Nov 2024

Musi sues Apple over its App Store banishment

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Musi • 3 min read

Musi sues Apple over its App Store banishment

Last month the free music streaming app Musi - which pulls its content from YouTube - disappeared from Apple’s App Store. The music industry welcomed that development, but Musi has now sued Apple over its decision, criticising both Apple and YouTube…

Chris Cooke • 07 Oct 2024

EU consumer group sues Apple for €62 million over ‘Apple tax’ price hike on competing music subscriptions

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Apple • 3 min read

EU consumer group sues Apple for €62 million over ‘Apple tax’ price hike on competing music subscriptions

In March the EU fined Apple €1.8 billion after concluding that rules the tech giant enforced against music apps were unlawful. Those rules meant consumers signing up to Spotify via its iOS app paid 30% more because of an Apple commission. A new lawsuit says Apple should now refund those commissions…

Chris Cooke • 19 Sep 2024

UK competition regulator closes investigation but warns Apple and Google: we will use new powers to make app ecosystem fair

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Google • 3 min read

UK competition regulator closes investigation but warns Apple and Google: we will use new powers to make app ecosystem fair

UK competition regulator the CMA has closed ongoing investigations into Apple and Google’s rules around in-app payments. Though mainly because recently passed laws boost the power of the CMA and it therefore believes any investigation would be better done in the context of enforcing those new laws…

Chris Cooke • 22 Aug 2024

Patreon creators will have to pay Apple’s 30% commission on iOS subscriptions from November

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Patreon • 3 min read

Patreon creators will have to pay Apple’s 30% commission on iOS subscriptions from November

Patreon’s iOS app is finally having to comply with Apple’s App Store rules around in-app payments. This means creators who use the app to sell subscriptions to fans will have to start paying a 30% commission to Apple on those transactions from November…

Chris Cooke • 13 Aug 2024

Apple's latest proposal “blatantly disregards” fundamentals of EU’s DMA, says Spotify

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Apple • 4 min read

Apple's latest proposal “blatantly disregards” fundamentals of EU’s DMA, says Spotify

Spotify and Epic are not impressed with Apple’s latest attempt to make its App Store rules around in-app payments compliant with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. New proposals offer more flexibility and lower fees, but Spotify and Epic claim the latest terms still violate European law…

Chris Cooke • 09 Aug 2024