The Spotify app update is now live on iOS, sans the ability to purchase audiobooks after Apple rejected it.
Apple claims that Spotify was skirting around App Store rules by encouraging users to buy content outside the platform. In the October 27 update, a pop-up message, ‘Want to listen? You can’t buy audiobooks in the app.
We know, it’s not ideal’ appears when users try to purchase an audiobook in-app. Originally, the streaming service wanted to have its users buy audiobooks via a link sent through email, which Apple didn’t like.
Apple in September last year announced that developers would be able to make ‘reader apps’ that provide a link for managing or setting accounts off the App Store. To clarify, reader apps show outside content, which includes books, newspapers, magazines, music, and videos.
Spotify’s external links for premium subscriptions are okay, but it seems that audiobook purchases are not.
