A few months ago, Spotify sent a public letter to the European Union inviting it to investigate Apple's practices with third-party servicesas they are seen in inferiority of conditions When it comes to competing against Apple Music, in this specific case, since Apple's streaming music service does not have to pay 30% for subscriptions.
It seems that he is not the only one. While it is true that Netflix, HBO or any other streaming service could have joined the lawsuit, the one who has finally taken the first step has been Rakuten, the Japanese giant, which claims that the 30% commission left to distribute your books through its application is anti-competitive.
Kobo, a subsidiary of Rakuten that sells books over the internet, filed its complaint last March with the European Union, stating that Apple's charging of a 30% commission for sales made in its ecosystem promotes your Apple Books service.
As with Apple Music, Apple Books does not pay any type of fee for selling their books through the Apple platform, being a clear advantage that no other platform can compete with.
Apple's argument to justify this commission is that provides the tools to be able to sell your services through your app store. Some experts say that it is fair business practice to demand a commission, as Apple has to fund the operation of the platform so that others can benefit.
Both Spotify and Rakuten do not want Apple to stop keeping 30% of purchases or subscriptions (as of the year the percentage drops to 15%), but rather lower that percentage for this it can be assumed by the companies and thus be able to offer again the possibility of contracting their services through the App Store.
Both Netflix and Spotify, like others, stopped more than a year ago to allow contract their services through the application available in the App Store, inviting them to visit its website (without adding any direct link) to do so.
