The Spotify app for iPhone could soon start selling audiobooks with links.
Spotify has started allowing users to purchase subscriptions directly from the app.
Spotify has introduced an update that could allow iPhone users in the United States to purchase audiobooks through external links. In a recent statement, the platform announced that this update has already been submitted to Apple, and if approved, it would also enable Premium users to buy "reloads" that grant them more listening time for audiobooks.
This change comes after the order issued by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Epic Games vs. Apple case, where it was determined that Apple was in "intentional violation" of a 2021 order. The judge instructed Apple to cease the practice of charging up to a 27 percent commission on purchases made through external links and prohibited the company from restricting how developers direct users to purchases outside the App Store.
As a result of this decision, Spotify began allowing users to acquire subscriptions through external links. Including pricing information and links for purchasing audiobooks would represent a significant change in the app. Previously, Spotify attempted to circumvent Apple's restrictions by not displaying audiobook prices in the app, opting instead to send a link via email to users so they could purchase the desired audiobook online. Eventually, Spotify removed audiobook purchases from iOS.
The company stated that this measure will help level the playing field by allowing developers to offer basic pricing information and direct access to the purchase of digital goods through iPhones, without unnecessary steps or additional fees imposed by Apple. According to Spotify, this new freedom would be beneficial for authors, audiences, and developers in general, as long as Apple approves the modification and the legal decision holds despite Apple’s attempts to challenge it.
In the meantime, although Apple has requested the court to halt the order while it appeals the decision, other apps, such as Kindle, Patreon, and the Delta emulator, are already taking advantage of the new, more flexible policies.
