A new e-mail campaign from music streaming app Spotify is aiming to hit Apple right where it hurts — its service fees.
Spotify is notifying its iOS customers to let them know about the 30 percent extra Apple tacks onto its Premium service when listeners pay $12.99 a month through iTunes. It directs them instead to Spotify’s own website, where the same option with the same features only costs $9.99. You can see the image accompanying the e-mail below.
Photo: Spotify
The virtual guide contains one link to disable auto-renewal from iTunes and another to go to the company’s site and buy Premium at the Apple-tax-free price. You can’t switch over until your current plan month ends, obviously, but hey, it’s only a month.
We’ve been hearing (and writing) a lot about the continuing drama between Apple and streaming service Spotify ever since the iPhone maker announced its own music platform at the Worldwide Developers Conference last month. Apple Music competes with Spotify directly, and while it’s too early to see how much, if at all, Apple’s Siri-powered, native solution to music is cutting into Spotify’s bottom line, the veteran service is not going down without a few punches.
This is a clever move on Spotify’s part, as the company doesn’t stand to lose money regardless of where people buy Premium. Meanwhile, it’s calling attention to Apple’s across-the-board 30 percent cut on iTunes purchases, which may cost the iPhone maker some money in the long run if customers continue to cut them out of these transactions.
That is, of course, assuming that they’re able to buy other services directly from developers, which isn’t always an option. In the meantime, I’m making the most of the free Apple Music trail by asking Siri to play Star Trek sound effects. Then I can pretend I work on the Enterprise.
Via: The Verge
Evan Killham is a freelance writer who lives in Nebraska and isn’t interested in football, so he has plenty of time to play and think about video games. He has written for Bitmob and GamesBeat and sometimes, he even goes outside. But not too often because he’s heard there are bees out there. Occasionally, companies send free units for review. Evan subscribes to Cult of Mac’s Reviews Policy and also does not keep the items he receives for possible coverage.
8 responses to “Spotify wants its listeners to skip Apple, save money”
I can see apple retaliating to this by removing Spotify from their app store.
But apple music is $9.99 and 14.99 for a family….
Spotify knows their days are numbered. With 45 million users, less than a third actually subscribe, and last year they made another multi million dollar loss and had to beg to raise money to stay afloat, and are now touting an IPO in hope someone might buy them. Like watching the Titanic slowly listing at the bow.
Its the same for all streaming services, and I doubt apple music will fair better. Streaming may be convenient, but it isn’t the savior the music industry needs.
Agreed. It will be a last man standing event. Now Facebook say they’re entering the music streaming business. The one with the deepest pockets willing to lose the most will win. What they’ll win is another question, but I think the music industry will be laughing all the way to the bank with the scam they’ve perpetrated.
100% agree. Apple are jumping onto this fad, in my opinion, to keep their power within the music business. They have a big enough war chest to see off all others when this fad comes to an end. Streaming is just another cash cow for the greedy money hungry music industry and Apple has the largest client base. I’ll enjoy the trial, but won’t be buying a subscription.
Yeah that’s what Spotify is doing, looking out for its customers’ pockets.
So the Worlds largest and successful company should take advice from a company that doesnt make any profits?
Spotify, you are doomed.