Apple’s upcoming mobile operating system, iOS 8.3, will come with some brand new features, one of which will solve a nagging problem.
According to screenshots taken by a user who has posted on 9to5Mac, users can finally download free content from the App Store or iTunes without the need to enter a password. Currently, users are required to enter their Apple ID password to confirm the free download of the app in the App Store. But from iOS 8.3 onward, things will change. For paid apps however, users will still be required to enter their password.
New Password Settings page in iOS 8.3
In the Settings app, there are some new configuration options for password entry in iTunes and App Store labeled as “Password Settings”. This settings page allows users to configure how frequently Apple should ask for a password. The options include “Always require” and “Require after 15 minutes” for paid and in-app purchases, whereas there’s a toggle ON/OFF for requiring password on free apps (as seen in the below screenshot). Simply toggle this to OFF to disable iOS from asking for a password on free app downloads.
The blog highlights that these new Password settings were added in the iOS 8.3 beta cycle, but will activate only once the OS is released publicly. It is worth noting here that this option will only be visible to users who have TouchID disabled. Per Apple’s thinking, when TouchID is enabled, it is very easy and convenient to simply tap on the Home button to download free apps rather risk the security of the device. In the end, its the users who will decide how they want to configure this option.
The release date for iOS 8.3 has not been announced yet, as iOS 8.2 was just released earlier this month. We can expect a few more beta versions to arrive prior to the public release of iOS 8.3 within the next few months.
