Family members can share paid Android apps starting this summer

Android users will be able to share paid apps with family members at no additional cost from July 2. This is according to an update of the developer documentation for the Google Play Store. This does not automatically apply to apps that users have purchased before that date.

The feature is called Family Library and makes it possible to share paid apps with up to six family members, reports Android Police. Developers can choose to make the feature active retroactively, but this is not mandatory and requires action from the developers. From July 2, app sharing with family members will be standard.

It is still unknown how users can designate family members, whether there are restrictions and whether these accounts actually belong to family members. For example, in the future, the change will allow parents to purchase apps and games for children without adding their own account or payment option to that child’s Android device.

Such a feature has been available on iOS for a few years now under the name Family Sharing. That has been in Apple’s mobile operating system since iOS 8.