Some people claim that love makes the world go ‘round, but we’re not buying it. Nope, we think it’s apps. Weather apps, fart-noise apps, dating apps, shopping apps, gaming apps, banking apps, apps that teach us how to speak French, apps that track what we need to buy at the grocery store, etc. Technology is amazing, and apps are at the heart of it all. We can’t remember how we used to function without them.
One of the best features associated with apps, or applications, on our mobile devices is in-app purchasing. In-app purchasing allows us to buy stuff directly from an app, without having to close the app or log into our bank’s website or enter our credit card number or anything. It’s super convenient; our payment info is stored somewhere, and when we need to buy something, like more coins to defeat the evil wizard in Level 2521 of our fave online game, then all we have to do is click a button, and voila, the purchase is made.
Of course, in-app purchasing can also be the worst thing ever. For one, apps aren’t always the most secure things in the world, which means we might be opening ourselves up for credit card or identity theft by using in-app purchasing features. And two, if we’re a parent and we give our delightful offspring our mobile device without restricting in-app purchasing, we might end up with a not-as-delightful credit card bill at the end of the month. Apps can’t tell whether it’s us buying a game’s special features or whether that button is being pushed by the pudgy finger of a non-financially-aware toddler.