In-appPurchases
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Daily Update for April 12, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
UK investigates in-app purchases for possible consumer law violations
Suffice it to say that unmonitored in-app purchases by kids have proved problematic -- most of all for the parents who first learn about them through a gigantic bill. The UK's Office of Fair Trading is concerned enough that it's launching an investigation into whether mobile- and web-based games for the junior set are running afoul of consumer protection laws. Its six-month study will explore whether or not those games are "misleading or aggressive" when they goad kids into parting with real cash for virtual goods; the regulator also hopes to hear from game developers, app store operators and the parents themselves. OFT senior director Cavendish Elithorn tells the BBC that the investigation won't likely ban in-app purchasing when all is said and done, but we wouldn't be surprised if the outcome involves more than just a few app store disclaimers.
Gameloft tries to make good with Dungeon Hunter 4
Gameloft is one of the most interesting companies on Apple's App Store. The company, run out of Paris, France, has earned a reputation for itself by essentially cloning popular console titles. When the App Store first began, huge console titles like Halo, Call of Duty, and Diablo didn't have apps of their own on the store, and Gameloft saw the opportunity to recreate those game styles on iOS devices. That's how the NOVA, Modern Combat, and Dungeon Hunter games got started, and because players hungry for those experiences didn't have any other options, Gameloft saw a lot of success. These days, however, big companies like Activision and EA have discovered a lot of value on the App Store, and AAA developers are making games of their own. That's rendered Gameloft's model a little obsolete, but the company has an answer: A few years of success and hardcore development have made them experts in delivering high quality titles on mobile platforms, and so they're now starting to push out original content, and turn these titles once known as clones into standalone IPs of their own. The one hiccup in this plan has been the move towards freemium markets. Dungeon Hunter was a series that started out as a Diablo clone, an action RPG that allows you to choose one of a few classes and hack and slash through a storyline, gaining equipment and XP as you went. Dungeon Hunter 2 was a refined version of the first title, and offered some great experiences, both as a singleplayer RPG and even a multiplayer co-op game. Dungeon Hunter 3, however, saw Gameloft trying to turn the game into a purely freemium title, switching from a singleplayer storyline to a series of arenas, all designed to just keep players spending money on in-app purchases. The release earned Gameloft lots of jeers across the Internet, and you can still see the harsh fan feedback on the game's reviews. This past week at GDC, Gameloft showed me Dungeon Hunter 4, and the title shows off both of what's great and terrible about the company lately. The latest version of the game, set for a release later this month, returns the series to a relatively linear storyline, and contains some really excellent action RPG gameplay, portrayed with some very impressive art. All of Gameloft's expertise is brought to bear, and Dungeon Hunter 4 looks like it will be a really fun return to the kind of gameplay that made Dungeon Hunter 2 so popular. Unfortunately, despite abandoning the "arena" ideas that caused so many problems with the third game in the series, the freemium elements are still there in force. You will probably enjoy this one -- if you can avoid and ignore the bright in-app purchase buttons and currency markers that seem to litter the screen. Some of the game's mechanics are annoyingly freemium as well: You get a limited number of health potions every few hours, and you're required to buy more if you need them. Gear can be upgraded by questing through the game -- or you can just press a button below one of your pieces to get a better option. And the title will include a full crafting system, but it's likely that too will be burdened with lots of shortcuts and options for more purchases. Obviously, this is only based on a few minutes with the game, and we don't know for sure what Dungeon Hunter 4 will be like in its final form. But Gameloft is in a tough place right now: At the same time that the company is making better games than ever before, it's also (forced, perhaps, by market forces) depending more than ever on the annoyances of freemium gaming. Dungeon Hunter 4 will be out later this month, and the few minutes of it that I saw at GDC got me really excited about how the game both looks and plays. We'll just hope that Gameloft can keep the freemium prompts to a minimum, allowing the game to pull players in thanks to its quality, not sales tricks and nonsense.
UK cop turns in his son after Apple refuses to refund App Store spending spree
UK father and police officer Doug Crossan took an extreme measure when he discovered his 13-year-old-son had racked up £3,700 (USD$5600) via in-app purchases on the iOS App Store. After Apple refused to rescind the charges, Crossan decided his next best move was to report his son to the authorities for fraud. According to a report in the Daily Mail, Crossman's son made more than 300 purchases in apps like Plants vs Zombies, Nova 3 and more. These freemium titles cost little to nothing to download, but include in-app purchases to unlock content within the game. Crossan said that he and his son believed the games were free and didn't understand that these in-game extras cost real money. Crossan told the Daily Mail that he tried to work with Apple to get the charges reversed, but the company refused. Apple allegedly argued that it is the parent's responsibility to lock down their iOS device. There is a parental control setting that prevents errant purchases by adding a password lock to all in-app purchases or by disabling the feature entirely. To get the charges reversed by his credit card company, Crossan had to report these purchases as unauthorized to the Action Fraud Hotline, which means his son could be held liable for these charges. Crossan admits he doesn't want to see his son arrested, but he does "want to embarrass Apple as much as possible." Crossan isn't the only parent facing this problem of excessive in-app purchases. Earlier this month, a UK tot accrued £1,700 ($2500) in charges after his Dad entered his iTunes password to download a free app from the App Store.
Apple adds in-app purchase disclaimer to iTunes App Store pages
iDevices make for great 21st century babysitters, what with all the free, kid-friendly apps. But that techno-garderie does have an unfortunate downside for distracted parents: unauthorized in-app purchases made by children. In response to lawsuits and a general brouhaha over unwittingly amassed charges, Apple is now including an "Offers In-App Purchases" disclaimer to freemium apps it hosts within the iTunes App Store -- not the storefronts found on iOS, the desktop app or web links. The Guardian was able to verify that the change is indeed new, but bizarrely enough it doesn't surface on the platforms where most users (read: children) would first download a game anyway. It's reasonable to assume the warning will extend to the rest of the company's platforms soon, but the safety of your wallet is still not guaranteed.
Study: Higher resolution smartphone screens mean more in-app purchases
The results of the study discussed in this post seem obvious when you think about it, but at least there's some empirical data to back it the findings. A study conducted by Pocket Gems suggests that people whose smartphones (including iPhones) have high-resolution screens are more likely to buy in-app purchases from game apps, according to AllThingsD. Pocket Gems found that "...the iPhone 5 monetizes nearly four times that of the older-generation iPhone 3GS." Likewise, the study found that those using Android devices with high-resolution screens were "nearly 10 times as likely to make an in-app purchase" vs. their lower-resolution counterparts. Interestingly, the iPad did not follow the trend, and did not show a correlation between screen resolution and in-app buying habits. That's interesting, but I'm not convinced that screen resolution is the determining variable. For example, those who buy the latest and greatest iPhone might have more discretionary income than those still using the 4-year-old 3GS. I don't know if these factors were taken into account, and I also don't know what the study's sample looked like (number, demographic, etc.). Still, it's an interesting finding. AllThingsD has some infographics that represent additional information.
Daily Update for March 21, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple agrees to settle lawsuit over in-app purchases made by children
Looks like Apple's set to put an end to the 2011 in-app purchase class action lawsuit filed on behalf of those whose children were spending a Smurphy amount of their money without account holder permission. According to the settlement, Apple could wind up giving a $5 gift certificate to upwards of 23 million customers. In matters where purchases total $30 or more, cash refunds may be awarded. The suit claims that Apple "failed to adequately disclose" the presence of in-app purchases in titles targeted at children, an issue Apple has since address by requiring passwords to be entered when making in-app purchases.
Apple reaches settlement with parents over in-app purchases
Parents whose children purchased in-app items for real money without them knowing are going to receive compensation from Apple. As reported by GigaOM, the company has reached a settlement today in a class action lawsuit filed against it in 2011, and will issue a US$5 iTunes gift card to those who make a claim. If the claim is for more than $5, Apple will add a credit to the person's account, while claims over $30 will be paid in cash. The suit was originally brought against Apple by a Pennsylvania man named Garen Meguerian, whose daughter racked up more than $200 in in-app purchases without his knowledge. For its part, Apple sought to limit such purchases by requiring an account password to be entered for each IAP. In the suit, Meguerian suggested that a second, different password be required for IAPs. Under the proposed settlement, those seeking to receive payment from Apple will have their iTunes purchase histories reviewed to ensure that the purchases were actually made, and must attest that their children made the purchases without their knowledge and without being given the account password. The settlement is currently awaiting approval by a federal judge. [Via Apple Insider]
BlackBerry PlayBook update adds BlackBerry World rebranding, puts SMS into Bridge
It isn't all about the Z10, you know. BlackBerry just gave PlayBook owners some equal time in the sun with a new (if unceremoniously titled) 2.1.0.1526 update. The release puts the tablet through the same BlackBerry World rebranding we've seen on the Z10 along with truly functional improvements, such as support for in-app payments and the addition of SMS chats through BlackBerry Bridge. Less conspicuous audio and browser upgrades lurk underneath. While it's not the BlackBerry 10 upgrade that some would crave, the patch is proof the company still has love for its original QNX-based gadget.
Spotify halts music purchases in the UK, says it's 'simplifying' the service
We're not sure how many Brits use Spotify to actually buy individual tracks, considering that the service is mainly known for streaming and "offline" playback, but the question has suddenly become academic. Anyone in the UK who tries to use the desktop app to buy new music will now be confronted with the message above. It offers little explanation of what's going on but does at least link to a help page that reassures those who already possess unused download credits or gift cards. Spotify sent us the following statement, which is pretty abstract but makes it clear this is more than temporary: We recently updated Spotify to further simplify the service and pave the way for new features announced at the end of last year. In-app purchases aren't part of this update but we're not ruling out their return. Credits/gift cards already purchased are still redeemable. Update: We hear from a reader in Sweden that the same thing has happened in that country -- so it probably applies internationally, wherever the download option was originally available. Spotify in the US was already streaming-only, so American users will likely notice no change.
Enfour shares more details about app piracy
A few days ago, we wrote about the story of Enfour, an app developer that's specialized in a bunch of dictionary apps, who recently tried to shame pirates of their apps over Twitter, in a plan that caught too many legitimate users and didn't end up so great. Ars Technica went to chat to Enfour about the problem, and got a little more context on the issue and how Enfour is fighting it. First of all, it turns out the problem wasn't merely that Enfour was targeting iPhone jailbreakers -- the company does realize that lots of "legitimate" iPhone users do jailbreak their devices. Instead, the company is trying to figure out a way to nail down pirates outside of the standard Objective-C code that apps are created with. They're trying to watch core system files and Apple's own verification files, to see when those are tampered with and the app is pirated. Unfortunately, says Enfour, some old code that shouldn't have been run did get run, and that's what caused the false positives to appear in the Twitter shaming. Enfour has revised its anti-piracy policy completely, and while it will continue to fight pirates, Twitter shaming probably won't be part of the deal any more. You can't really blame Enfour for fighting people who it believes have stolen its software. Piracy is certainly a problem on the App Store, and even a process that should be completely legit, in-app purchases, is riddled with less-than-legitimate users grabbing content and in-app currency that they have not paid for. Of course developers need to fight piracy, because it can directly attack the livelihoods that allow them to make apps for us in the first place. But it's an ongoing battle -- for every antipiracy measure that developers come up with and put in place, there's often a go-around method for pirates out there to circumvent it with.
Google announces seller support in India, now allows developers to monetize their apps
All Wall Street expectations aside, Google appears to be doing relatively well for itself. And while Android may not be the company's largest source of income, it is undoubtedly a primed possession to have around -- with that, it's only natural for the Mountain View-based outfit to extend a hand to the abundant amount of folks developing for its open-sourced platform. On this particular occasion, it's devs in India who are on the receiving end of a grand gesture, with Google announcing it's now allowing them to cash in on their applications by adding in-app purchases / subscriptions to ones that are currently free, or simply by selling new, paid app creations on the Play store. Google says the valuable move was driven by India now being the fourth-largest market for app downloads, and that this is a great way to "help developers capitalize on this tremendous growth."
Terry Cavanagh's latest game rejected from App Store for making fun of in-app purchases
Game developer Terry Cavanagh has released a few really great games over the years -- in addition to the popular PC title VVVVVV, he's also the man behind iOS' recent (and terribly difficult) hit Super Hexagon. Right now, he's in the process of trying to release an old experimental game he made called Don't Look Back (which you can play online in Flash right now) on iOS, but he's hit a speedbump. Apple rejected the app, unfortunately, though not because of anything in the app itself. Nope -- Cavanagh, in the app's description, happened to point out that Don't Look Back didn't have "in-app purchases or any of that nonsense," and Apple sent him back a message saying that he should probably "remove or revise" that line. Cavanagh has since resubmitted the app, and it's actually available on the App Store right now (with the jokey line removed from the description). Now, Don't Look Back is a great, emotional game experience, and it's good to know this could all be figured out. But should Apple really be judging app developers' descriptions for content like this? Checking over descriptions for fraudulent information or obscenity seems fine. But should developers be required to watch their tone when criticizing certain money-making features on the App Store? Apple apparently thinks so.
Google Play in-app subscriptions get free trial option
In-app subscriptions found their way to Google Play this May, and now the folks in Mountain View are letting Android developers offer them with free trials. In order to make use of the freebie spans, you'll have to fork over your payment information to Page and Co. as if it were a run-of-the-mill purchase, but you won't get hit with the monthly fee until the dev-determined trial stretch is over. Developers looking to serve up samples of their episodic content can set a trial period that's at least seven days or longer right within the Developer Console, which means they can add the gratis option or alter its length without having to modify their apps. If the duration of the gratis subscription is changed, the tweak will only apply to new subscribers.
BlackBerry PlayBook 2.1 update goes live with SMS, portrait email
RIM's attention around its QNX-based platforms might revolve around BlackBerry 10 as of late, but don't think that it's leaving BlackBerry PlayBook users behind. A PlayBook 2.1 update is rolling out today that fills in some of the gaps left by 2.0 earlier this year. Habitual messagers can now start SMS text messages directly from the tablet when tethered through BlackBerry Bridge; they also get overdue support for a portrait view in email, calendars and contacts. If communication isn't the cornerstone of your life, you'll still find a few niceties such as Android App Player support for the camera and in-app purchases, device encryption that extends to personal data and wireless printing beyond the local network. For now, you'll have to be an owner of the original, WiFi-only PlayBook to leap on the 2.1 train today -- those who sprang for the usually carrier-bound PlayBook 4G LTE should get their upgrade within a month.
Mach inks carrier billing deal with Everything Everywhere, O2, Vodafone and Three in the UK
Not a month after Mach's last carrier billing deal, UK network providers Vodafone, Three, O2 and Everything Everywhere are getting in on the action. The company's direct billing solutions will initially allow the networks to charge app and online purchases straight to your bill, with in-app sales joining them at a later date. Don't expect this to be implemented immediately, however, as the agreement covers the back-end processing -- the individual carriers will be responsible for turning it on customer-side. They'll likely inform you when they hit the switch and your phone bill becomes a monthly surprise.
Skype strikes deal with Mach to expand direct carrier billing for credit purchases
Skype is always finding new ways of making it easier for users to spend money, and now it's extending its carrier billing options in a new deal with Mach. From October, more users than ever will be able to buy credit for the VoIP service then forget about it -- at least until the phone bill arrives. Purchases will initially be available through a web browser, but in-app functionality is expected in the future, although there's no word on exactly which network providers will be involved. We hope, however, that sometime next month, at least a few of those who enjoy Skyping on the move will appreciate sending the bill to their carrier.
Atari ports classic games to HTML5 for web and Windows 8, lets developers craft their own (video)
Atari is big on nostalgia this year, but it hasn't had much in the way of software to reflect the trip down memory lane beyond the existing mobile apps. Its remedy to that shortfall is full of 2012 buzzwords. The new Atari Arcade includes modern takes on eight classic Atari 2600 games, all built entirely with HTML5 and free to play. As fun as that promises to be, our interest is most piqued by the game library's open-ended nature; this isn't just an alternative to firing up a smartphone. A new Javascript kit lets developers not only build their own games but make money as they see fit, whether it's through ads or in-app purchases. Whether they're new or old, titles work in multiple contemporary browsers, although Microsoft would really, really like you to know that the games are ad-free and touch-optimized for both Windows 8 tablets as well as Internet Explorer 10. We'll try to remember that when we look to relive our Combat memories on a Surface.
Microsoft opens Windows Phone Dev Center, limits in-app purchases to Windows Phone 8 (update: store rebrand too)
It's a day of mixed blessings if you're a Windows Phone developer. The upside? Microsoft has shelved its old App Hub in favor of the heavily reworked Windows Phone Dev Center: along with being simpler and more reliable, it now lets app designers offer their apps in four times as many countries (three times as many for paid apps), gives them better tracking tools and lets them at last get payment from Microsoft through PayPal. We hope they aren't making too many grand plans to bring Microsoft's newly added in-app purchasing support to every title, however. The counterbalance in this story is confirmation in the Dev Center that any in-app commerce will be limited to Windows Phone 8 -- even devices running Windows Phone 7.8 will have to turn to all-or-nothing transactions to directly generate cash. While we can't say we're surprised, knowing that Microsoft hadn't mentioned legacy support before, the news no doubt dampens the enthusiasm for developers who now need to wait for a wave of new devices before they can join the freemium app gold rush. Update: WMPowerUser noticed something in that tiny text on the home page -- the artist formerly known as the Windows Phone Marketplace is now the Windows Phone Store. A small (and still unacknowledged) change, but notable for harmonizing the mobile app shop with the Windows Store on the desktop.
