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Apple Adds Extra Confirmation Step When Purchasing Subscriptions in Apps

Thursday April 11, 2019 2:52 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple has introduced an extra confirmation step when App Store users purchase an app available on a subscription basis or tap to subscribe to a premium service in an app, making sure no accidental subscription purchases occur.

The new subscription feature was highlighted on Twitter by developer David Barnard this afternoon and appears to have been implemented recently.


With this new confirmation step, when you download an app with a subscription or tap on a subscription option in an app where the subscription feature is optional, you'll see a second subscription popup warning after initially confirming a purchase with Face ID or Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad.


The popup warns that the subscription will continue unless canceled in the Settings app at least one day before a subscription period ends, requiring users to confirm the notice with an OK button or tap cancel to cancel the initiation of the subscription.

Adding a second confirmation screen to subscription purchases will thwart app developers who have been using nefarious tactics to trick users into purchasing subscriptions or making subscription costs and terms unclear.

Accidental subscription purchases have been an ongoing problem with Touch ID iPhones where a purchase could be made unintentionally when putting a finger on the Home button (such as when pressing to exit out of the App Store), but the new confirmation screen makes it clearer that you're initiating a recurring subscription on both Face ID and Touch ID iPhones.

Tag: App Store
[ 42 comments ]


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Relentless Power
9 weeks ago
Good. Another way that Apple is protecting the user and is trying to hault scamming subscriptions.
Rating: 14 Votes
Avatar
now i see it
9 weeks ago
automatic renewal of subscriptions is bogus. They should all have to be manually renewed each month with a simple prompt screen. Automatic rollover monthly payments should be only available as an opt in option. Not mandatory.
Rating: 14 Votes
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AngerDanger
9 weeks ago

A more elegant way? All you do is tap confirm. Does he want it to spiral into view with a cute animation or drop down as a banner or something? The point of this is specifically to be a hard stop requiring attention and user interaction.

I mean, sure, as long as it isn't anything too obtrusive or distracting. A subtle spiral could be nice.



Incredibly late. Billions have been stolen, but at least they got it done.

[citation needed]
Rating: 9 Votes
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dannyyankou
9 weeks ago

I'm not sure you've grasped the concept of what a subscription is...

---
sub·scrip·tion
noun
1.
[LIST=1]
* the action of making or agreeing to make an advance payment in order to receive or participate in something.

To be fair, what he’s suggesting would still fit that definition. It says nothing about automatic renewal.
Rating: 7 Votes
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kellyrev
9 weeks ago

automatic renewal of subscriptions is bogus. They should all have to be manually renewed each month with a simple prompt screen. It's a money grab


I'm not sure you've grasped the concept of what a subscription is...

---
sub·scrip·tion
noun
1.
[LIST=1]
* the action of making or agreeing to make an advance payment in order to receive or participate in something.
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
hipnetic
9 weeks ago
Sounds like a half-assed attempt at addressing some very real problems. I don't need a pop-up notification to alert me to something that I *just* did. I need a pop-up alert for something that's about to happen. Sure, if we're talking about Netflix or some other respectable company charging me a $10/month subscription, this isn't a big deal. My concern (which I've been hit with - blame my wife) are situations where you download a "free" app, get an automatic "free trial" subscription, and after that free trial, it automatically converts to a $100/year (or whatever) subscription.

It would also help if Apple didn't make it so damned difficult to locate all of the subscriptions you've purchased through the App Store. There should be a quick and easy way to find all of your current subscriptions, but there isn't. It's buried through a convoluted mess of menus that aren't intuitive at all.
Rating: 5 Votes
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dannyyankou
9 weeks ago

automatic renewal of subscriptions is bogus. They should all have to be manually renewed each month with a simple prompt screen. It's a money grab

Well that would defeat the purpose of a subscription. If I know I’m going to use Netflix indefinitely for at least the next few years, I’d rather it renew automatically instead of me having to keep track of everything. They should send you a notification when it’s about to renew though.
Rating: 4 Votes
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iBreatheApple
9 weeks ago
A more elegant way? All you do is tap confirm. Does he want it to spiral into view with a cute animation or drop down as a banner or something? The point of this is specifically to be a hard stop requiring attention and user interaction.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
dannyyankou
9 weeks ago

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2018/10/04/app-scams-cheap-utility-apps-are-stealing-260-2500-or-even-4700-each-year-per-user/#7b1eb936162a

Only Apple knows the total amount, but billions is not unlikely given developers commonly scamming so much per month. This has been known about for a long time. Apple, of course, made its 30% during that time, and undoubtedly knew of the issues (along with IAP stealing from kids @ FBook). Really sad how profits affect large corp's decisions.

Apple paid $34 billion to developers in 2018, including subscriptions and one time purchases. So since Apple takes a 30% cut, let’s say total App Store spending was $110 billion. For there to have been at least $1 billion stolen, 1% of every dollar spent would’ve went to scammers. Do you think this is the case?
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
needsomecoffee
9 weeks ago
Incredibly late. Billions have been stolen, but at least they got it done.
Rating: 2 Votes

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