Some exerpts:
Amazon seems to be able to pull off the same “email the customer” tactic that Apple just prohibited Spotify from using
[…]
I’m not writing this to call out Amazon for skirting Apple’s rules — I’m writing this because… well, what even are Apple’s rules? Apple approved Spotify’s email approach, then later retracted the approval and said the app needed to change. Has the company also missed a rule-breaking behavior from one of the biggest e-commerce companies on the planet? Or is there some kind of wiggle-room exception here because Audible is a subscription service? I reached out to Apple for clarity on its rules but did not receive a response. Amazon did not respond by press time, either.
And the editor’s opinion:
If I had to take a bet, I’d guess that Apple’s rules will eventually nudge Spotify to launch a subscription option for its audiobooks. Spotify very specifically tried the a la carte approach as a way to differentiate itself from Audible. But Apple’s system really preferences subscriptions: in-app subscriptions have a lower transaction fee, and subscription content apps get the option to link out to their website for signup and avoid the fees altogether. I don’t know that subscriptions are the best model for audiobooks, but they sure seem like the one Apple wants.