Spotify claims new Apple One subscriptions are anti-competitive, Apple responds

Apple’s “Time Flies” event today offered up new products and services such as the Apple Watch Series 6/SE, the 8th generation iPad, the redesigned iPad Air, as well as Apple Fitness+, and new Apple One subscription bundles. Only hours after the event came to a conclusion, Spotify released a statement claiming Apple One subscriptions will cause “irreparable harm” to developers.

Once again, Apple is using its dominant position and unfair practices to disadvantage competitors and deprive consumers by favoring its own services. We call on competition authorities to act urgently to restrict Apple’s anti-competitive behavior, which if left unchecked, will cause irreparable harm to the developer community and threaten our collective freedoms to listen, learn, create, and connect.

Apple One subscriptions are available in three different tiers. The individual plan will be $14.95/month and includes Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade and 50GB of iCloud storage. The family plan includes those same services, but with 200GB of iCloud storage and allows access for other family members. The family plan will come at a cost of $19.95/month. Finally the Premier Apple One plan will cost $29.95/month and adds access to Apple News+, the recently announced Apple Fitness+, and 2TB of ‌iCloud‌ storage. All of which can be shared with up to six family members.

Apple wasted no time in issuing a response to Spotify’s claims:

Customers can discover and enjoy alternatives to every one of Apple’s services. We’re introducing Apple One because it is a great value for customers and a simple way to access the full range of Apple’s subscription services. We’ll be recommending the Apple One plan that saves you the most money based on the subscriptions you already have. It’s perfect for anyone who loves any of our services and wants to get more for less, and it’s especially great for families. Also select services included in Apple One are available to enjoy on non-Apple devices, and you can cancel anytime.

Spotify has long been upset with the Cupertino company as ‌Apple Music‌ is installed by default on new devices and the service does not require extra fees for a subscription to be purchased. This comes at a time where Apple is already in a legal battle with Epic Games over App Store Policies and the company’s antitrust scrutiny is higher than ever.