Google now allows Spotify to use an alternative payment system

Google has officially announced that the popular music service Spotify will now offer an alternative method of paying for subscriptions directly through its version in the Google Play store, bypassing Google's payment system.

In this way, Spotify becomes Google's first partner for the new User Choice Billing policy, which opens up new payment methods for both users and app creators to avoid the commission that Google keeps through its own payment system. Of course, things are not exactly ideal for developers, as especially for Spotify we know that Google will simply keep a 4% smaller commission compared to the existing model.

Nevertheless, Spotify welcomes this move by Google and characterizes it as a bold step for a fairer share, for more open platforms and a better user experience. Spotify was one of the first companies to speak out against Apple and Google's policy of revenue sharing and exclusive use of their own payment systems through their stores.

The truth is that we would hardly see such retreats from Google and Apple, but good luck to the competent regulatory authorities in South Korea and the European Union who pressured the two giants to the point of threat. Note that User Choice Billing is already available in the US, Europe, Australia and Japan.