BARRON'S - Alphabet's Google and Spotify Technology have reached a deal that allows the streaming giant to offer its own billing service within its app, paving the way for other developers to wrestle back billing control from app stores amid antitrust concerns. Google said the partnership with Spotify was a pilot with a small number of participating developers, designed to explore ways to offer users the choice to pay the developers directly while maintaining Google's "ability to invest in the ecosystem." The company plans to explore user billing choice in other select countries. Over the last year, Google's parent company, Alphabet, and Apple have faced antitrust litigation regarding the fees the app stores charge developers. Spotify and Google did not disclose whether - or how much - Spotify will have to pay Google for in-app billing services. If Google was imposing a lower fee, it could serve as a positive precedent for other app developers, like Match Group and Bumble.
by Sabrina Escobar
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