With almost everyone owning a smartphone or tablet these days, these mobile devices have become more than just individual, private experiences but sometimes even familial ones. Realizing that families would sometimes want to manage their mobile experience as, well, a family, Amazon and Apple have revealed features in their new operating systems that makes all that not only easy but even more engaging as well.
Yesterday, Amazon announced the arrival of new Kindle Fire HD and HDX tablets, which came with an also brand new Fire OS 4, codenamed "Sangria". Of the many new features that are arriving with this version, one is marked as still Coming Soon but is also probably the most interesting in this context. Amazon's Family Library service does just what its name implies. It pools together the apps, games, audiobooks, books, and Prime Instant Video content that family members have purchased in order to make the available to each and every member of the family or device, without having to switch user accounts just to download them. It definitely makes sharing a lot easier, though Amazon has yet to detail the privacy features Family Library will, or should, have.
iOS 8's new Family Sharing feature does the same but admittedly adds a few more touches that are definitely desirable for families. Aside from getting access to others' music, movies, TV shows, books, and apps, you can also create a shared family album. But iOS 8 family sharing goes beyond media content. For example, you can have a shared family calendar. You can even locate each family member or their device, should the latter get lost, Of course, you can opt to remain hidden from that family map if you wish to (but better have a good excuse ready for Mom or Dad). And lastly, Apple might have finally solved the problem with "accidental" purchases made by kids. Family Sharing lets you set a single credit card for making iTunes purchases. It also lets you configure connected Apple IDs to ask permission before making a purchase, which you, as the parent, can allow or deny anywhere, any time.
Of course, here at Android Community, we root for Android naturally. Sadly, Google has been left out of the family party, at least for now. It has yet to implement any sort of family sharing feature in Google Play Store, much less curb in-app purchases beyond the simple password requirement. That said, there might still be hope. Android L, 5.0 or Lemon Meringue Pie, is expected to finally arrive next month. Google could very well be working on such a similar feature behind closed doors. Or hopefully it has been for some time now and isn't just going to haphazardly slap on such a feature in such short a time just because its competitors have.