Apple Throws Its Own Apps Under the Bus

For most of the year, Apple won’t stop reminding people how in-house services like Apple Music, Apple Maps and Apple TV+ are crushing it. On Thursday though, Apple sent a very different message about how its own apps are being crushed by competitors.

It published a 48-page report on its website by an economic consultancy, the Analysis Group, which says that in most app categories and in most countries “third-party” apps—owned by other firms—are beating comparable ones made by Apple in terms of popularity. In the U.S., for example, the economists behind the report—which was financially supported by Apple—wrote that iPhone users spend more than 50% more time on Spotify than on Apple Music. Ouch! It must sting for members of the Apple Music team to see their employer promoting something that says how far behind they are.