App Store

Apple has changes the 'Free' moniker from apps and games in the App Store.

Apple App Store

Now the installation button for games and other apps that are free-to-play, but may have some in-app purchases, will be labeled as 'Get' instead of 'Free'. iOS apps and the games labeled with "Get" button will also feature a text label warning of in-app purchases. According to reports,

Free-to-play games and apps are the dominant business model in mobile app stores and represented nearly 98 percent of revenue on Google Play and 92 percent of all revenue on iOS in 2013. However users have claimed that these games manipulate players into making unnecessary purchases, which has led to scrutiny from organizations like the Federal Trade Commission, the European Commission and U.K. Office of Fair Trading.

Regulators have been pushing tech giants Apple, Google and Amazon to adopt stricter guidelines in how they promote and display free-to-play games with in-app purchases. Earlier this year, Apple and Google paid tens of millions of dollars to settle complaints from the Federal Trade Commission over in-app purchases Earlier this year, Internet giant Google has also stated that it will stop using the word "free" when games contain in-app purchases.

However some games like Candy Crush Saga, Clash of Clans and Farmville 2, are still labeled as "free." Amazon, who was hit with a similar complaint from the FTC, has refused to settle the claim. Source: Recode