Apple Adds Extra Confirmation Step When Purchasing Subscriptions in Apps

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.

applesubscriptionconfirmation
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.

Top Rated Comments

44267547 Avatar
61 months ago
Good. Another way that Apple is protecting the user and is trying to hault scamming subscriptions.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
61 months 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.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
61 months 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]
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
61 months 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.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kellyrev Avatar
61 months 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.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hipnetic Avatar
61 months 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.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
anker new xmas 1

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...
top stories 2dec2023

Top Stories: iOS 17.1.2 Released, NameDrop Misinformation, and More

Saturday December 2, 2023 6:00 am PST by
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...
instagram messenger

Instagram and Facebook Messenger Chats to Disconnect This Month

Tuesday December 5, 2023 1:57 am PST by
Meta has revealed plans to end Instagram users' ability to chat with Facebook accounts later this month, rolling back a feature that it introduced over three years ago. In September 2020, Meta (then Facebook) announced it was merging its Facebook Messenger service with Instagram direct messaging, allowing Instagram users to chat with Facebook users and vice versa using the same platform....
iphone 5g mmwave

Apple's Work on 6G Connectivity Already Expanding

Monday December 4, 2023 7:00 am PST by
Apple's work on implementing 6G cellular connectivity on its devices appears to be ramping up, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Apple is increasingly turning its attention to 6G, even amid its widely reported difficulties developing a custom 5G cellular modem. In 2021, the first highly specific Apple job...