ACT president Jonathan Zuck issued the following statement in response to concerns about the in-app purchasing/freemium business model raised by the European Commission.
Consumers are the ultimate beneficiaries of the freemium model because it allows them to try before they buy. It gives consumers the power to decide how much, or how little they want to spend. The freemium model also gives parents the opportunity to try out an app, before purchase, to see if it is appropriate for their children.
Significantly, the store provides notice while the device allows control. On iOS devices, App Store users are alerted to in-app purchasing features before they download an app. The device owner can also set restrictions to completely disable in-app purchases. All users are required to enter a password before making purchases which is entirely within a parent’s control.