It's a sad day for parents and kids across the nation as Apple announced that its iTunes Allowances service, which allows parents to allot a specific amount of credit to be given to their children's accounts on a monthly basis, would be definitively discontinued.
In fact, Apple users are no longer able to create new iTunes Allowances accounts and, by May 25, the entire service will be completely shut down.
Though Apple's iTunes Allowances feature was not very well-known, a lot of parents found it endearing. By using the service, parents could set their accounts to give their kids a fixed amount of iTunes credit every month. These credits, which would be determined by the parents, could be used by kids to buy apps, games and music.
If ever a child immediately spends their monthly allowance right off the bat, they would have no choice but to wait for the next month's cycle.
Indeed, in a lot of ways, it taught children how to make good choices. Apart from this, it also prevented overspending, with kids being fully aware of the iTunes credits they would be getting every 30 days. Overall, it gave parents the capability to limit their children's spending without having to control and dictate everything they purchase.
The decision to let go of iTunes Allowances seems like a way for Apple to push its users towards using more of the firm's Family Sharing feature. Family Sharing, unlike iTunes Allowances, gives parents full control of everything kids attempt to purchase through Apple's online store.
With Family Sharing, kids who wish to purchase something from iTunes would need to get approval from their parents first. Every time a child attempts to purchase something, parents are automatically notified. Then, they can allow or reject their kids' requested purchase.
Apple has assured its iTunes Allowances customers that any leftover balance in their accounts after May 25 will still appear as next month's allowance. Once that amount is used up, however, users will have to fully shift to Family Sharing.
Though the news of iTunes Allowances' removal has disappointed many, a significant number of Apple users believe the shift to Family Sharing is one that is a proper and strategic move for Apple.
