A secret Google deal let Spotify utterly bypass Android’s app retailer charges

Music streaming service Spotify struck a seemingly distinctive and extremely beneficiant take care of Google for Android-based funds, based on new testimony within the Epic v. Google trial. On the stand, Google head of worldwide partnerships Don Harrison confirmed Spotify paid a 0 % fee when customers selected to purchase subscriptions by means of Spotify’s personal system. If the customers picked Google as their cost processor, Spotify handed over 4 % — dramatically lower than Google’s extra widespread 15 % price.

Google fought to preserve the Spotify numbers non-public throughout its antitrust battle with Epic, saying they may injury negotiations with different app builders who may need extra beneficiant charges. Google’s Person Selection Billing program, launched in 2022, is often described as shaving about 4 % off Google’s Play Retailer fee if builders use their very own cost system, bringing down Google’s 15 % subscription service price to extra like 11 %. That usually finally ends up saving builders little or no cash since they need to foot the price of cost processing themselves. And in court docket, Google has targeted on advantages like higher flexibility slightly than price financial savings.

However Harrison says Spotify’s “unprecedented” recognition was nice sufficient to justify a “bespoke” deal. “If we don’t have Spotify working correctly throughout Play providers and core providers, folks is not going to purchase Android telephones,” Harrison testified. As a part of the deal, each events additionally agreed to commit $50 million apiece to a “success fund.”

Google acknowledged Harrison’s testimony in a press release to The Verge. “A small variety of builders that make investments extra instantly in Android and Play might have completely different service charges as a part of a broader partnership that features substantial monetary investments and product integrations throughout completely different kind elements,” says spokesperson Dan Jackson. “These key funding partnerships enable us to deliver extra customers to Android and Play by repeatedly enhancing the expertise for all customers and create new alternatives for all builders.”

Spotify has complained regularly about in-app buy charges up to now. In mid-2023, it utterly dropped help for Apple’s App Retailer billing system to keep away from paying as much as a 30 % fee, and it was one of many highest-profile early members of the Coalition for App Equity, a gaggle that included Epic and supported the Fortnite writer’s antitrust go well with towards Apple and Google. However whereas Epic has continued its authorized battle towards each events, Spotify apparently discovered a neater — and much cheaper — means out of the Google battle.