It would seem these days that apps make the world go ’round, especially with the tween and teen population. And I’ll admit that I do love the convenience of some of my apps and the distraction of others. What I won’t admit to doing however, is paying for them.
The large majority of the apps on my iPhone were free, unless I specifically downloaded them to review on this blog. And while you as a parent may have had this same stipulation with your children, the free apps they download may end up costing you more than you think.
In-app purchases are causing quite a stir with parents. Once an app is downloaded, regardless of cost, there may be an opportunity to buy things when the app is opened on your phone or tablet. For you, that may mean upgrading to a better subscription if you already have a newspaper app. With kids, in-app purchases translates into lots of things to buy inside games. Once they’re playing the game, they can buy extra points or game currency. The only problem is that they may not even realize they’re doing it, and it can end up costing you big bucks. Apple is currently dealing with lawsuits from angry parents and has recently added another layer requiring an additional password to make the purchase. Bottom line, in-app purchases are definitely worth having a conversation with your kids about, so you don’t get caught by suprise when you get your next cell phone bill.