iOS 4.3 Brings Password Reentry for In App Purchases

Have you ever had little ones play with your iPhone, only to cause an in-app purchase? Well, Apple today has changed the way in-app purchases are made, to prevent incidents like $1400 in charges via Smurfs’ Village (shame on them for having $99 in-app purchases for “snowflakes” and “Smurfberries”).

According to the Washington Post, iOS 4.3 brings some changes to protect parents:

“We are proud to have industry-leading parental controls with iOS,” said Trudy Muller, a spokeswoman for Apple. She said users have always been able to use parental control setting and restrictions of in-app purchases to protect their iTunes accounts from accidental charges. “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.”

Normally, there is a 15 minute window after entering a password where you can make updates and purchases without re-entering your password. This has changed with iOS 4.3 for in-app purchases.

I applaud these changes in iOS 4.3, but Apple should’ve had this protection in place since the beginning when it comes to making any purchase.

Has anyone out there been the victim of an accidental in-app purchase? If apps are purchased by accident, a quick email to iTunes Support will solve the situation.

[Washington Post]

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