• long running

Google Play Introduces Family Library: Share Your Eligible Purchases with Your Family for No Extra Cost

1440

Now available in Australia


"When you buy an eligible app, game, movie, TV show, or book in the Play Store, you can now share it with your family—across devices—with no additional sign-up fee.

Starting today, Family Library will be rolling out over the next few days and will be available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. To get started, sign up in Google Play, invite your family members, and start sharing what you love!"

Sign up for Family Library
Open the Play Store app.
In the top left, tap Menu Menu and then Account and then Family and then Sign up for Family Library.
Follow the instructions on screen to set up your Family Library.
Note: The family members you invite will see your name, photo, and email address.

Only apps purchased after July 2 2016 are eligible to be shared.

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Comments

  • +26

    It's not really a deal..

    • +4

      You buy a movie for $5, then share it with your family of 6 for free potentially saving $30.

      How is this not a deal ??!!

      • +22

        Belongs in the forum this feature might be new but there was never a fee to use this.

        This is basicly an announcement.

      • You could have always done it back in the time. I use a specific family gmail account that I preload on all my Androids in the family and they can all access the same thing. This is no different and basically formally acknowledges it. Further, you did not stipulate any bargain in your OP as required by the rules other than a community announcement.

        • Not exactly the same thing.

        • @foxmulder: The mechanics are different, but the principle is the same. One family gmail account with all the purchases to be shared among everyone in the family.

      • +1

        How is this not a deal ??!!

        It's the normal offering for Family Library.

        This is just an announcement of the service launch. It is not discounted and is not a bargain.

        • That is your opinion.

  • +27

    Ozbargain Family?

    • +32

      Do you really want to be related to JV?

      • +5

        I've ready go a tat saying " jv for life "

        • +7

          " JV for life "

          FTFY…

          Wouldn't be a JV tattoo without bold in it… :D

      • +1

        Free apps & Movies etc? hell yeah. Our family …dog Jessie already downloading Marley & JV

      • Hell. to. the. NO.

    • +1

      You can invite up to 5 family members only

  • +7

    Awesome idea, so what happens when there is a breakup? And leaves the family circle? Do you lose the installed apps/contents?

    • If someone removes content from the Family Library, if they leave the family group entirely, or if your family group is deleted, you have to purchase the content in order to to use it.

    • +10

      You only lose half the apps, selected at random.

      • +3

        i get this joke

    • +11

      You'll only get to use the apps on weekends…

    • +6

      "We've decided to stay together and make it work… for the apps".

  • +6

    Well, that sucks.. can't use it with my Google Apps accounts.
    Hopefully it comes around eventually like other features, not hopeful though, normally says not available yet, this time just says account not supported.

    • I also use Google Apps Free for family, hopefully they recognise that it's not just business who use it

      • +1

        Doesn't look promising if the Music Family Plan is anything to go by.

        • -2

          Makes no sense given that Businesses wouldn't even be interested in using Google Play Music

        • +1

          @The Land of Smeg: Many of us who got free Google Apps accounts when it was first announced as Google Apps for Your Domain almost 10 years ago, and it wasn't strictly for business back then. After invested significantly in this account (email, extra storage, Google Play purchases, etc) then realise we are actually rated as 2nd class citizens.

        • +1

          @scotty: welcome to reality.. to most businesses, we their customers, are just revenue streams. There is no business loyalty, no recognition for being a long paying customer, we are just another commodity to them.

    • Does anyone know if you can create a Family Library on a standard Google Account and then include family members with Google Apps accounts?

      • +1

        Just tried and no…same result as if you try to set it up yourself. Very annoying

      • +1

        Manager and members must all be @gmail.com :/

  • +5

    Cant continue through the set up process without inputting credit card details….?

    • Yeah, need to set up a credit card as the family payment method, so family members can easily spend your money (should you not restrict it)

      • Can you actually restrict purchases by other family members? I recall Apple having a similar scheme, except that you couldn't exclude any adult family members from buying stuff…

    • +2

      Yes. It needs CC details. Use your Coles prepaid MasterCard 👍

      • +3

        Can't I just use my survey credit?

        • Unfortunately not 😢

        • @easternculture:

          Really? But all the survey questions I've been getting lately are about my 'family' and 'children'. And yet I can't use the credit that I earned to buy myself uhhh…family some apps?

        • +4

          @mrdavedave: But when they asked What do you do with your family and you answered Eat them they figured Play Credit won't cover their legal costs

        • No You cant, in order to sign up you have to provide valid credit card details. There also seems to be no way to restrict the family members access to that credit card. I have used a pre-paid card with only $10 on it. At least its a way to limit my liability.

        • +1

          @Buzzl1ght:

          Seems you can only set it require approval for all purchases for members 13-17 years old, but require IAP approval for all members.

          https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7039872

        • @bamzero: I stand corrected. That's good then. I also worked out today you can only be in one family group. Not that that should matter. My brother invited me to a family group, then I went to set one up and invite my kids, but I cannot set one up while being in my brothers group.

      • You got the thumb pointing the wrong way

    • "You authorise members of your family group to use this payment method to make purchases on Google Play and for in-app purchases. You agree to be responsible for your family members' purchases."

      • For people under 18 you can require them to request the purchase instead of just going ahead and buying it.

      • bugga I was thinking I can set one a/c each for the kids & they can't accidentally buy anything.

        • Yeah, you can set it to require permission for all purchases, IAP only, or free for all.

    • That was the dealbreaker for me… I don't want a card linked, I buy about 1 $2 app a year and have no intention of buying any game coins/jewels/whatever, and certainly don't want to by accident. Just give me the option to pay when I want to!

  • If you already use the Google Play Music family plan, you can't set up a different group for app sharing. The only option you appear to have is to share with that same family group.

  • eligible

    Hmmmmm.

  • +1

    Will apps I have already purchased on an account be included in the library?

    • Yes.

      • +1

        Only for apps purchased after a certain date. I think it's 1st July 2016 or somewhere around that. For apps purchased before the date, they'll have to be manually included into the family library.

        edit: 2nd July

  • +6

    Google is collecting family /group details from the customers ….

    • +2

      What brand of foil do you use for your hat?

      • +15

        I make my own foil nowadays, everyone knows that Big Alfoil is in bed with the New World Order

        • +2

          We need to take this offline and discuss raw materials.

      • For a comment like that, glad wrap probably

    • +2

      They already have your address, contacts, web history, sms & call logs, wifi ID, etc.

  • +4

    A lot of apps need to be purchased after 2nd of July in order to be shareable.

    • tat's a bummer….what about the hundreds of free apps we OZB'ers got from way back when?! :(

    • Although the devs have the option of enabling sharing for apps purchased prior to then also.

  • +5

    It's annoying that the minimum age to join a family group is 13.

  • +2

    It's annoying that the family members must be in the same country

    • +4

      "I'm sorry sir, but Google cannot force your family members to leave the country. Have you considered taking a vacation? We have lots of apps that can help you with that."

  • +1

    "Only apps purchased after July 2 2016 are eligible to be shared."

    This is the problem. So no deal for me. All my purchases were done before this date

  • +2
    1. Set up a generic family gmail account, [email protected]
    2. Add this account to all your family's devices.
    3. Use only this account to purchase apps, music, movies

    How will this not work?

  • -2

    Announcement

  • Does this work with YouTube Red?

  • Can't share apps purchased via Telstra Billing (e.g, from the $30 credit on the Telstra SIM starter packs lots of us bought for $10-$15 each) either from what I read last night.

  • This is a way for Google to know who are in your family circle.. Just like Facebook with the Relationship feature..
    I am sure they will mine the data and monetise it in one way or another..

  • Tripview is so worth it now

  • Does it work with in-app purchases as well?

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