Good news for Android users as the Google Play Store now has the option of in-app password protection. The new update is version 4.6.16 for the Google Play Store.
The update to the Google Play Store comes barely a week after the company was hit with a class-action lawsuit over unauthorized in-app purchases.
Parents will now be able to breathe easy as children would not be able to make app or in-game purchases without being monitored. Previously, because of the in-app password protection feature missing in the Google Play Store, several adults have complained of their kids raking up high bills thanks to unwanted purchases on the app store sans parents' permission.
However, the new update to the Google Play Store will enable users to have more control over how frequently a password is required to be entered to initiate a purchase. The options are never, every 30 minutes and for each purchase.
After signing into their Google Play Store account users will be able to purchase apps on Google Play for 30 minutes without re-entering their password. However, after this time window they will need to sign-in again into their account for any purchases.
To set up password protection to make purchases on the Google Play Store here's what you need to do:
1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Navigate to Menu > Settings
3. Under "User controls," tick the box next to Password.
4. Enter your chosen password when the prompt pops up.
In the event the Password box is already checked, it means that password protection for your account has been added.
Apart from in-app password protection, the update to the Google Play Store also brings several other features to users' way like Bulk Install. This feature lets users select multiple apps together in the My Apps section so that it can be installed at one go. A bug fix for the existing Bulk Delete feature has also been made.
Moreover, the Settings and Help menus have also been segregated and the "Auto-add widgets" option has changed to "Add icon to home screen."
Lastly, users will also benefit from the option to check whether they have the most current version of the Google Plays Store on their device or not.
