Apple subscriptions
Graham Barlow likes Apple’s approach to that old maxim, buy in haste, regret at leisure
Have you ever signed up for something then regretted it later? When it comes to digital products, they make it so easy to buy things that it’s almost too tempting. A couple of taps on a button and you’re signed up, with full access to whatever it is you’re interested in, whether that’s a goalsetting app that includes 1-1 coaching, training, or a meditation app that promises to turn your life around and make you feel less stressed. Ironically, app subscriptions themselves can be a big source of stress when the bill rolls in, but I’ve got to say, I’m impressed with how easy Apple makes it to unsubscribe to things you might have signed up to in haste.
The subscription model has become the defacto way that we pay for software these days, but those subscriptions soon mount up. App makers know that not many of us will commit to an expensive one-off purchase, so they entice us in with a free, or cheap, 30-day subscription, knowing that we’re more in favour of being hit with an annual fee if we’ve already had a chance to try out an app, than we would be otherwise.
Popping up and cooling off
Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to forget when your free period is up and be stung with a big charge for an app you’ve all but forgotten about. I had that problem recently with an app I signed up for so that I could review it. I won’t give its name, as it’s really not their fault, but I signed up for a 30-day trial for £4.99, after which the app warned me it would charge the full annual fee, and then promptly forgot about it until I saw a £99.99 charge pop up in my bank account.
Usually there’s a cooling-off period for buying anything, and app subscriptions are no different. One of the benefits of living inside Apple’s walled garden of the App Store is that all the apps follow the same rules, and you can request a refund. Go to reportaproblem.apple. com, log in with your Apple ID and identify the purchase you need a refund for. You’ll hear in about a day if your request was approved.
If you made a few too many purchases over the Christmas period, you might now be encountering a similar problem. You can also check what apps you are currently subscribed to using your iPhone. Go to Settings and tap on your name, then on Subscriptions. If there’s anything here you didn’t know you were subscribed to, or that you no longer need, you can cancel your subscription easily.