Apple has revealed that it will be ending iTunes Allowances on May 25, which is a feature that allows parents to set aside a certain amount in their credit cards per month that can be used by their children to purchase items on iTunes or the App Store.
For children who still have a certain amount in their allowances by the stated date, they will still be able to use them until the allowances are depleted. Apple, however, did not state the reason why it is ending iTunes Allowances, but perhaps it is to push another feature known as Family Sharing that would allow parents to manage the purchases of their children.
Through the Family Sharing feature, iOS 8 and later devices and OS X Yosemite and later Macs used by up to six people can share content without sharing accounts. All the members of the family will be able to access content shared with each other, including pictures and purchases made on the App Store, iTunes and iBooks.
Here is a simple guide on how to set up Family Sharing.
1. Choose The Family Organizer
The first step is to choose the organizer for the family. The organizer will be the one to send invites to up to five family members and will be the one to approve and pay for any purchases made by family members.
2. Access Family Sharing
For iOS devices, go to Settings, choose iCloud, and then select Set Up Family Sharing. For Mac, go to the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, select iCloud and then click on Set Up Family.
3. Attach Credit Card
Family organizers who do not have a credit card attached to their Apple ID will be prompted to link one to be able to pay for the family's purchases. Those who already have linked credit cards, this step will be skipped.
4. Add Family Members
The organizer can then invite up to five other users to become a part of the family by entering their Apple IDs. Family members being added can be asked to enter a password or sent an invitation to join the family. Parents being added to the family can also be set up to approve purchases made by children in the family, and organizers can turn on the Ask to Buy feature for children.
Through the Ask to Buy feature, parents will first have to approve any downloads being attempted by children, whether it is a purchase of a free download.
After these steps, setting up Family Sharing is completed.
In addition to serving as a replacement for iTunes Allowances, Family Sharing will also allow family members to contribute to a family photo album, view and add dates to a family calendar, and access the locations of other family members.
