Apple Is Issuing New In-App Purchasing Rules to Make Charges More Obvious

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Apple has updated its guidelines for in-app subscriptions and how they should be displayed.

The guidelines lay out how in-app purchases should appear and when they should be shown to the user.

Apple is aiming to make in-app purchases clearer and less predatory.  These new guidelines will also help developers get through the App Review process with fewer hang-ups surrounding paywalls and upgrade screen issues.

The new rules are now listed in the Human Interface Guidelines section of the App Store documentation for developers.

Apple offered three examples of new in-app purchase screens (above), which each showcasing the new look for in-app purchases.

The new look is designed to remove as many steps as possible and make conversion frictionless.

The fine print for these pop-ups also clarified the renewal period to remove any doubt about when monthly subscriptions will renew.

Another area that Apple has updated are terms relating to push notifications and how frequently they can be sent.  New features and content updates are fine, but Apple has blocked using push notifications for direct advertisement.  This update should stop most of those annoying free-to-play game notifications in their tracks.

Apple has also clarified the pricing for in-app purchases, and made sure that the monthly price is the most significant text font on the pop-up.

Previously, Apple has been sued over the confusing in-app purchase process. The company had to refund $32.5 million dollars after a settlement with the FTC and parents who sued the company over children making purchases.

Apple’s new guidelines are designed to make in-app purchases effortless but obvious.

Meanwhile, Apple is facing another legal battle against iPhone owners.

The agitated users are arguing that the 30% cut from the App Store is price-gouging passed on to consumers.  Apps can only be purchased through the App Store unless an iPhone is jailbroken.  Jailbreaking a phone voids the warranty, making third-party unauthorized apps far less appealing.