Something has changed in the way Fire TV devices are used that has alarmed experts. From what has been discovered, it is possible that you may suffer unexpected charges, although the good news is that if you follow the instructions that we are going to give you, you will be able to avoid this problem. However, it is something problematic that is worth taking into account.
It is unlikely, but it could be a bug that Amazon will fix in the next few hours. In any case, it is advisable that you know the change that has made some users cry out loud when they discovered that the Fire TV app store was subscribing them to services without them realizing it.
Subscribe and download
The problem is that some of the apps that are available on Fire TV, as mentioned in various sources by specialists, have changed their predefined installation method. Instead of simply installing, now the basic option is “subscribe and download app.” Therefore, if you don’t pay attention and click on the download icon without reading what it says on the screen, you may be subscribing to services that you may not be interested in.
Luckily, you not only have to tap once, but a second confirmation is required. This significantly reduces the chances of you encountering a surprise, but it is also true that sometimes we download apps by repeatedly pressing the button to see if it goes faster. In those cases, we could have an issue with an unexpected charge.
What apps is it happening with?
The reports come from the United States and talk about streaming service applications such as Apple TV+ or Paramount+. There are several other platform names, but these are the most recognizable by users in our country. In the case of Paramount+, however, it is not even available, since here we access many of its contents through SkyShowtime.
After clicking once on the subscribe and download button, the screen displays a message asking the user to confirm the subscription. In the case of clicking by mistake, what will happen is that the subscription will be formalized with the payment method that the user has in the system. Luckily, some of these applications have a prior test before payment is made, so in those cases you will not have to expose yourself to such a high risk. We would simply have to configure the option not to renew the subscription after the trial period and we would get rid of any problem.
Due to this change in the way of downloading, users who want to simply install an application will have to move through the menu to the “Download app” option. Luckily, it seems that, for now, most applications keep this option as the default. This could mean that it is the service developers themselves who are deciding whether they want their apps to be included by default with the subscribe and download button.
There is already talk about how Amazon should perhaps change and go back to the original system, since users are not happy with this change in the way they download applications. It is obvious that there will be people who will not suffer any problems, but perhaps among those who download quickly, or among children, incidents will occur. If you have any questions that cross your mind, it won’t hurt to always have the expenses recorded in the payment method linked to your Fire TV under control.
