Apple has announced it will end support for its iTunes Allowances features that gives parents the ability to automatically put money into their kid's iTunes account every month. The last date to make iTunes Allowance deposits was April 14, Thursday, while the feature will officially end on May 25.
After Allowances is shuttered any unused allowance will be transferred to the child's basic iTunes account, according to Mac Rumors. The funds can be used as usual but there will not be any new deposits.
iTunes Allowances let parents give kids store credit ranging from $10 to $50 without giving them credit card information. The program worked like an iTunes Store gift card and could be used to buy content from the iTunes Store, App Store, Mac App Store, iBooks Store, or an Apple Music Membership.
The tech giant is trying to get iTunes users to use Family Sharing features such as Ask to Buy for under-age members in a shared account group. Apple Support will also answer any questions before Allowances shuts down in a week.
Family Sharing is available for mobile devices running at least iOS 8 or Macs running at least OS X Yosemite, according to Tech Times. It gives up to six people the ability to share an account without sharing iTunes accounts. That includes photos and purchases made on iTunes, iBooks, and App Store.
The first step for setting up Family Sharing is to select a family organizer who will send invites. Family Sharing must then be accessed on iOS devices or Macs.
Next, families must link a credit card to their Apple ID to pay for the family's purchases. The organizer can then invite up to five other family members by keying in their Apple IDs. Family organizers can also switch on the Ask to Buy feature for kids.
Family Sharing not only can be used in lieu of iTunes Allowances but also lets family members add to photo albums and add dates to their family calendars.
Apple has been sending emails to inform Allowances users about the feature's cancellation. However, it has not provided any details about why the program is ending. Apple Support will answer any questions before Allowances shuts down in a week.
Here's how to set up Family Sharing on iPhones and iPads: