Apple has added in-app purchase warnings to App Store listings, following a spate of stories in which children amassed mighty in-app purchase bills for their unwitting parents.
The warning is displayed alongside paid and free apps that contain in-app purchases. It is present on both the desktop and iOS version of the App Store and simply reads: "Offers In-App Purchases."
This change follows hot on the heels of a settlement in the US courts that forced Apple to propose a refund system for in-app purchases. The scheme, if implemented, will compensate the parents of children who make in-app purchases of over $30 without acquiring consent.
The warning doesn't just appear for freemium titles it's shown beside paid apps too.
The buck stops
Although in-app purchases certainly aren't new, a flurry of mainstream media interest has put pressure on Apple to make changes.
Media reports have uncovered instances in which children racked up bills as high as £1,700 in games that their parents believed were completely free prompting much debate over who should take responsibility for such cases.
Top Stories
News
1 hour, 41 minutes ago
Star Wars: Hunters ranked No. 1 for App Store game downloads in the US, UK and Canada on launch day
News
3 hours, 26 minutes ago
Why Dlala Studios pitches its next game at least 18 months before finishing development
Feature
4 hours, 56 minutes ago
Hot Five: Squad Busters’ supercharged launch, Pokémon’s record revenue, and Star Wars: Hunters finally hits the target
News
Jun 7th, 2024
Week in Views - The hunt for the new Star Wars game, Xbox goes handheld, and cats versus monsters…
Events
Tribeca Games Festival 2024 | North America | Jun 5th |
Steam Next Fest: June 2024 Edition | Jun 10th | |
WN Conference Istanbul 2024 | Jun 11th | |
GamesForum Hamburg 2024 | Europe | Jun 11th |
ESI London 2024 | Europe | Jun 13th |
Game Con Canada (GCC) 2024 | North America | Jun 14th |
Indie Dev Play 2024 | Europe | Jun 14th |
DevGAMM Vilnius 2024 | Europe | Jun 14th |