News

Key Words: Spotify CEO joins Elon Musk in calling out Apple for ‘shameless … bullying’

0

The chorus of anti-Apple venom gained another voice Wednesday.

Spotify Technology Inc.
SPOT,
+0.19%

Chief Executive Daniel Ek unleashed a series of tweets claiming that Apple Inc.
AAPL,
+0.23%

“gives itself every advantage while at the same time stifling innovation and hurting consumers.”

Ek wrote: “So how much longer will we look away from this threat to the future of the internet? How many more consumers will be denied choice? There’s been a lot of talk. Talk is helpful but we need action.”

Ek, who also called on Congress to vote on antitrust legislation that has been gathering dust in the House and Senate after years of hearings excoriating Big Tech, tagged business leaders including Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc.
TSLA,
+0.91%

and Twitter Inc.; Microsoft Corp.
MSFT,
+0.81%

President Brad Smith; and Proton founder Andy Yen.

On Monday, Musk lambasted the fees that Apple charges software developers for in-app purchases and posted a meme suggesting he was willing to “go to war” rather than pay it.

On Tuesday, Epic Games Inc. CEO Tim Sweeney, whose company makes the popular game Fortnite, tweeted that fighting Apple’s “monopoly” was “an American issue transcending party politics.”

Ek’s online screed renews a longstanding beef with Apple, which Spotify sued four years ago. Spotify has submitted antitrust complaints in various countries, alleging Apple’s 30% commission fee has forced Spotify to “artificially inflate” its own prices.

Apple was not immediately available for comment.

The Ratings Game: Apple has ‘extremely limited’ options despite easing of pandemic restrictions in key Chinese city

Previous article

The New York Post: Fear mounts that Iran players will face government retribution after World Cup loss to U.S. and anthem ruckus

Next article

You may also like

Comments

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in News