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Spotify said it submitted a U.S. iPhone app update to Apple on May 1, 2025, following the April 30 U.S. ruling in Epic Games v. Apple. The proposed update was designed to show subscription prices and promotions, direct users to Spotify’s website to subscribe or change plans, and provide website payment options. Spotify said Apple approved the update on May 2.
What Spotify submitted on May 1, 2025
Spotify’s announcement concerned a digital purchase flow inside its U.S. iPhone app, not a new iPhone or other hardware. Spotify attributed the submission to the April 30, 2025 ruling in Epic Games v. Apple and described the judge’s direction as effective immediately. The announcement is Spotify’s account of the rollout; it is not an independent analysis of the court order.
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The subscription features Spotify described
- Displaying subscription prices in the app.
- Showing promotions.
- Linking users to Spotify’s website to subscribe.
- Linking existing subscribers to the website to change plans.
- Offering payment methods through Spotify’s website rather than limiting the transaction to Apple’s in-app purchasing system.
Those statements applied to users in the United States. They should not be read as a worldwide feature announcement.
Submission, approval and later functionality were separate updates
| Date | What Spotify reported | What that establishes |
|---|---|---|
| April 30, 2025 | A U.S. ruling in Epic Games v. Apple. | The legal event Spotify identified as the trigger. |
| May 1, 2025 | Spotify submitted its U.S. app update to Apple. | The submission date and Spotify’s proposed feature set. |
| May 2, 2025 | Spotify updated its announcement to say Apple had approved the update. | Spotify’s reported approval date; approval is not the same as proof that every account immediately displayed every feature. |
| May 19, 2025 | Spotify announced additional U.S. audiobook purchasing features. | A later expansion beyond the original subscription-focused announcement. |
Apple’s approval does not by itself establish the exact interface, rollout timing, or account-level availability for every U.S. user. Spotify’s statements establish what the company announced, not how every device currently behaves.
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What the May 19 audiobook update added
On May 19, Spotify said U.S. users could see audiobook prices, buy individual audiobooks, and purchase additional “Top Up” hours for listening beyond the hours included with Premium.
The 15-hour figure needs a date qualifier
Spotify’s May 19, 2025 statement said Premium included 15 audiobook listening hours each month at that time. That was Spotify’s stated allowance in 2025; it has not been independently confirmed here as the current allowance. Plan terms can change, so check the terms shown in your Spotify account before relying on that number.
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- New finds, old favorites, one card. Choose a unique gift card design featuring your favorite games or apps. This card can also be used for anything else on Google Play. There’s something for everyone, so find what’s yours. Go Play.
- To redeem, enter code in the Play Store app or play.google.com.
- Easy to use: With a Google Play gift code, you never have to worry about expiration dates or fees.
Can you buy Premium or audiobooks in the iPhone app?
For the United States, Spotify said the approved update enabled in-app price and promotion information, links to buy or change a subscription on Spotify’s website, and website payment options. Spotify later said U.S. users could also purchase individual audiobooks and extra audiobook listening hours. These are geographically qualified statements about Spotify’s 2025 announcements, not a guarantee that the same controls appear for every user today.
Outside the United States, this announcement does not establish equivalent access. Availability can depend on country, account, plan and the version of the app.
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How to check for the iPhone update
- Open the App Store.
- Tap your Apple ID image or profile picture.
- Find Spotify in the available updates list.
- Tap UPDATE if it appears.
Spotify’s support instructions also describe enabling automatic app updates in the device settings. If Spotify is not listed in the updates area, Spotify says the app is already on the latest version available to that device. Updating the app is only a software check; it does not confirm that a particular account has received a specific purchase feature.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How this differs from the European context
The European Commission has separately addressed Apple’s anti-steering provisions and restrictions affecting music-streaming services’ ability to tell iOS users about alternative subscription choices in the European Economic Area. That record is historical EEA regulatory context, not the U.S. court ruling that Spotify cited for this update.
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- Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
- Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only
The jurisdictions, legal proceedings and possible remedies are different. The European Commission’s decision should not be treated as proof that the U.S. update had the same scope, or that the U.S. feature set automatically rolled out across the EEA or elsewhere.
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- Available in $15 - 500, Card delivered via email or SMS
- Use it for purchases at any Apple Store location, on the Apple Store app, apple.com, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple News+, Apple Books, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Fitness+, Apple One, and other Apple properties in US only
What this announcement does—and does not—mean
- It does mean: Spotify reported a May 1, 2025 U.S. app submission, Apple approval reported on May 2, and later U.S. audiobook purchase functionality announced on May 19.
- It does not mean: every iPhone user worldwide can buy Premium or audiobooks through the same interface.
- It does not establish: the current audiobook-hour allowance, the exact current screen layout, or universal account-level availability.
- It is not: a hardware announcement or a recommendation to buy an iPhone accessory.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
