Facebook and Spotify CEOs Slam Apple's App Store

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek today spoke out against Apple's App Store policies, joining Twitter CEO Elon Musk, who earlier this week said that Apple was making moderation demands and had threatened to withhold Twitter from the ‌App Store‌.

iOS App Store General Feature Desaturated
At The New York Times DealBook Summit, Zuckerberg said that only Apple attempts to limit the apps that are in the ‌App Store‌, and that the ‌App Store‌ policies are not sustainable. As noted by CNBC, Zuckerberg claimed that Apple has "singled themselves out as the only company that is trying to control unilaterally what apps get on a device," which is not a "good place to be."

Zuckerberg went on to praise Google for allowing for alternate content on Android phones. "They’ve always made it so you can sideload and have other app stores and work directly with phone manufacturers," said Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg has clashed with Apple several times over ‌App Store‌ rules, specifically around various purchases that can be made in the Facebook app. Apple wants a 30 percent cut of things like in-app boosts, which Facebook does not want to pay.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, meanwhile, made comments on Twitter claiming that Apple gives developers "the illusion of control," and that the ‌App Store‌ is a "threat to the future of the internet" that denies consumers choice.


Ek has clashed with Apple recently over Spotify's new audiobooks feature. Apple rejected Spotify's audiobook update several times and ultimately did not allow Spotify to direct users to purchase audiobooks through an in-app email signup button.

Ek and Zuckerberg are longtime Apple critics and have been encouraging lawmakers to force Apple to support alternative app stores on iOS devices to reduce fees. Multiple bipartisan bills have been introduced in the U.S., and if these are ultimately passed, Apple would need to make significant ‌App Store‌ changes.

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Top Rated Comments

KaliYoni Avatar
34 months ago
My rule of thumb is that if Mark Z. says something is bad, it's probably actually good. And thank god MR actually restrained itself from putting up yet another Sweaty Mark Photo to illustrate this article!
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cocky jeremy Avatar
34 months ago
You hate Apple's stance so badly, leave their platform. Show them who's boss. ;)
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tdar Avatar
34 months ago
Whatever. Jealous people who can’t do it themselves. It’s not a crime that people have to pay for what Apple provides. These people are greedy and selfish. And none of us should give a damn what they think.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vicviper789 Avatar
34 months ago
I’m all up for side loading but I know the truth is that Facebook will immediately require users to side load their app which has every shady data mining feature turned on if you want to use their service
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
34 months ago
What "the Internet" has to do with the App Store? I buy tons of things on "the Internet" without giving Tim a single dime.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
34 months ago
Nowadays everyone wants to slam Apple App Store. It’s dumb!

How about coming up with your own platform?
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)