Apple has replaced the “Free” download button with “Get” from free-to-play games on its App Store which might be free initially for a limited time, but would require in-app purchases later.
The latest move comes just a few months after the European Commission called out both Apple and Google to relabel apps that offer in-app purchases to reduce misleading customers after an 8-year-old British girl ran up a bill of around $6,700 while making in-app purchases through games.
According to the commission, “free” labelled games could mislead consumers about the true costs involved, and they should not directly persuade children to make in-app purchases in a game or to persuade an adult to pay for the additional features.
The Commission also stressed that gamers should be adequately informed about the payment arrangements for purchases and should not be debited through default settings without their explicit consent.
While, Google immediately chose to comply by the new guideline and removed the word “Free” from their Top Free Games and Top Free Apps pages in the European store back in July, the Cupertino had held off until now.
While, free-to-play games and apps from iTunes and the Mac App Store remain free, the download button now reads ‘Get’. All Paid apps are still displayed with their respective prices.
