Apple Adds Age Recommendations To App Store

In what may be a move as a result of mature content showing on the new Vine app a while ago, Apple has updated its App Store to show age recommendations for each app. If you fire up the App Store app on your iOS device and search for an app, you'll now notice that a hard-to-miss age rating is placed right below the name of the app.

The move could also be a response to the growing number of reports that young children keep accidentally purchasing in-app content without their parents' permission. Either way, the new age rating system should help parents judge more accurately how appropriate a certain app is for their children, especially those who have a heavy finger for in-app purchases.

It's not known how the age rating is calculated for each app. The developer of the app itself may choose the age that's appropriate for the app, or Apple may also have a say as far as what age group is best suited for apps. Either way, this should eliminate any future controversies and debates over age-appropriate content for mobile apps.

If you remember, Vine was one of the biggest controversies we have seen a long time. Users kept complaining about the amount of adult content that was present on the app — something that anyone could access, even young children who get their hands on the app. However, Vine was updated to include a 17+ age warning to users who first download the app.