Skip to main content

Rhapsody won’t bend to Apple’s new iTunes policy

rhapsody-iphoneMusic subscription service Rhapsody isn’t a fan of Apple’s new App Store guidelines, and it’s letting everyone know. In response to the new purchasing policies, Rhapsody has issued a statement:

“Our philosophy is simple too – an Apple-imposed arrangement that requires us to pay 30 percent of our revenue to Apple, in addition to content fees that we pay to the music labels, publishers and artists, is economically untenable. The bottom line is we would not be able to offer our service through the iTunes store if subjected to Apple’s 30 percent monthly fee vs. a typical 2.5 percent credit card free.”

Recommended Videos

Currently, Rhapsody’s app operates by automatically opening Safari and taking users to Rhapsody’s Website. According to Apple’s updated policy, Rhapsody can continue to do this, but it must also offer in-app subscriptions, of which Apple would get that notorious 30 percent cut. According to Rhapsody, not only can it not afford this fee, it’s willing to sue the iTunes operator.

And according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the music provider may stand a chance in court. The new iTunes subscription policy apparently raises some legal red flags, and according to antitrust experts, there is reason to challenge the policy. In order to accuse Apple of violating antitrust laws, it must first be ascertained that the company is a dominant force in the market and that it is also driving out its competitors. According to Herbert Hovenkamp, an antitrust professor at the University of Iowa College of Law, if Apple is distributing 60 percent or more of subscription content through the App Store, “then you might move into territory where an antitrust challenge would seem feasible.”

Rhapsody’s statement also noted that it will be “collaborating with our market peers in determining an appropriate legal and business response to this latest development.” Rhapsody currently has 750,000 customers, although less than half of these users subscribe through iTunes. But if you’re one of them, know that using the service app free through Safari will be spotty, and otherwise, you’re out of luck. It seems like various music subscribers may be cutting their ties with iTunes, not to mention other types of content providers. Sony for one has hinted at the idea of pulling its business from iTunes.

Apple has given developers until June to adhere to its new guidelines.

Molly McHugh
Former Social Media/Web Editor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
I found the best Prime Day deal on a tablet hidden beyond Amazon
Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch, stylus, and keyboard.

A good tablet can take your productivity to the next level, but a boring one will find a niche use and eat dust on a table or couch for most of its time. I love iPads and have been pushing them – as far as I can — to act as my primary computing machine for nearly half a decade now. It has never managed to replace a proper laptop, like a MacBook Air or a Windows machine. 

Why not buy a Windows laptop, you might ask? Well, Windows-powered tablets, especially those Surface devices sold by Microsoft, are pretty expensive. I love the new 12-inch Surface Pro, but at $799, it felt like a steep purchase despite its impressive specifications. 

Read more
Prime Day is over, but this powerful Dell laptop is still at its lowest price
The Dell Vostro 3530 laptop on a white background.

Prime Day is already over, but that doesn't mean that there are no more laptop deals for you to shop on Amazon. Here's one that caught our eye -- the Dell Vostro 3530 with 32GB of RAM for its lowest-ever price of $649, following a 28% discount on its original price of $899. This limited-time offer of $250 off may not last much longer though, so if you want to take advantage of this bargain, we highly recommend that you finalize your purchase for this device as soon as you can.

Buy Now

Read more
This Lenovo all-in-one computer is 30% off even though Prime Day has ended
The Lenovo V100 All-in-One Desktop Computer on a white background.

Even though Prime Day is already finished, there are still some excellent desktop computer deals on Amazon. If you don't have much space, or you just want to avoid clutter, you should take a look at the Lenovo V100 All-in-One PC. From its original price of $800, it's all the way down to just $560 following a 30% discount. The offer for this machine will only be available for a limited time though, so you need to act fast and proceed with the transaction immediately to secure the savings of $240.

Buy Now

Read more