Spotify’s iPhone App Will Soon Expand Access to Audiobooks

Spotify is having the time of its life ever since a US federal judge ruled that Apple hadn’t done enough to halt what the US government calls anti-competitive pricing measures. That was April 30, and Spotify wasted no time in submitting a new update to steer customers to other revenue streams away from Apple’s App Store.

A week later, on May 9, Spotify submitted a new request for an update that, if approved, will allow Spotify to put links to audiobooks and pricing info within the Spotify app, leading users to an external site for purchase. It’ll also let users buy extra audiobook listening hours, beyond the 15 allotted to Premium users currently.

“If approved, Spotify users will be able to buy individual audiobooks, and Premium users will be able to purchase additional ‘Top Up’ hours for audiobook listening beyond the 15 free hours each month,” the company explained in a recent blog post.

“This is thanks to the recent US court ruling in Epic Games v. Apple. It helps level the playing field by allowing developers to offer basic pricing information and easy-to-access links to purchase digital goods through iPhones with no unnecessary steps or additional taxes levied by Apple.”

The tax referenced here is popularly called the Apple Tax, a reference to the widely reviled 27-30 percent tax that Apple levies on apps’ revenue when they’re bought or subscribed to through the App Store.

“This change also unlocks new revenue opportunities for audiobook publishers and authors, allowing them to reach fans and access new audiences seamlessly,” wrote Spotify. “In short, this freedom is a win for authors, audiences, and developers everywhere—if Apple approves and if the legal ruling stands despite Apple’s continued attempts to stop it.”

Spotify’s update submission regarding the audiobooks still has to be approved by Apple before it takes effect. It’s just one more twist in a long tale.

Back in 2020, Epic Games sued Apple over the 27 to 30 percent take, particularly irate over sharing that much profit of its wildly popular game, Fortnite. And then in 2021, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple had to give developers more of a chance to direct would-be buyers to purchasing options through avenues other than the App Store.

On April 30, 2025, Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple violated her order by not doing enough to enact her 2021 ruling. “Apple’s continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated,” Rogers said. “This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order.”

Apple listened up this time and nixed the 27-30% take. And then it promptly filed an appeal to keep from having to stick to the changes. It has all the ups and downs of a soap opera. It’s still undecided which party in Silicon Valley plays the spurned neighbor.