Spotify CEO resumes attack on Apple after Musk’s outbursts

Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek renewed his attack on Apple on Wednesday in a series of tweets alleging the iPhone maker “gives itself every advantage while at the same time stifling innovation and hurting consumers.”

Ek tagged several sympathetic business leaders in his 21-tweet thread, including Musk, Microsoft president Brad Smith, and Proton founder Andy Yen.

On Monday, the world’s richest person Elon Musk criticized the fee Apple charges software developers – including his Twitter business – for in-app purchases and posted a meme suggesting he was willing to “go to war” rather than pay it.

FILE PHOTO: Elon Musk’s Twitter profile is seen on a smartphone placed on printed Twitter logos in this picture illustration taken April 28, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Spotify has previously submitted antitrust complaints against Apple in various countries, alleging that the 30% charge has forced it to “artificially inflate” its own prices.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. It has previously said the 30% cut it takes on purchases made in its App Store is used to protect consumers in areas such as fraud and privacy.

Tim Sweeney, the CEO of “Fortnite” maker Epic Games, tweeted on Wednesday that fighting Apple’s “monopoly” was “an American issue transcending party politics.”

“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 talks. Talk is helpful, but we need action,” Ek wrote.

Musk is expected to talk with European Commissioner Thierry Breton via video call on Wednesday afternoon, though the agenda was unknown. The pair previously met in Texas in May, ahead of Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter, where they signaled broad agreement on EU tech regulation policy.