Apple Announces Security Changes For Application Purchases

Apple announced changes to settings that dictate how users make in-app purchases for their new iOS, Thursday.
Apple Announces Security Changes For Application Purchases
3/11/2011
Updated:
3/11/2011
Apple announced changes to settings that dictate how users make in-app purchases for their new iOS, Thursday.

According to Yahoo!, the change is aimed to stop children from buying applications or content online without parental consent. Previously, there was a fifteen-minute window wherein purchases could be made after the user entered a password in the App Store. Within those fifteen minutes, anyone using the device could make unlimited purchases of apps or content within apps without being prompted to re-enter the password.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the change was made to the new iOS 4.3 roughly 24 hours after the release of the new operating system. Spokeswoman for Apple Trudy Miller shared her thoughts on the issue.

“We are proud to have industry-leading parental controls with iOS. With iOS 4.3, in addition to a password being required to purchase an app on the App Store, a reentry of your password is now required when making an in-app purchase,” said Miller to The Wall Street Journal.

In the past, iPad games and songs for iTunes could be bought one after another during the fifteen-minute window with no cut off. Now when a parent enters the password for a child to make a purchase, it is less likely that multiple purchases could be made by mistake or without parental consent.