Some of the wording in these stories is misleading, as is aptly pointed out by the ever-vigilant and delightfulgetreligion.org.  The app is not a virtual confession, a virtual priest, a virtual sacrament, or in any other way a substitution for the actual rite of confession.  Rather, it is a preparatory tool, intended to assist the user in preparing themselves for confession.

This may sound a little odd in some Protestant circles.  Confession usually takes a decidedly backseat position in many congregations (despite what denominational polity stance may be on the practice).  In my congregation, one of the first things we do every worship service is to go through the process of corporate confession, after a moment to reflect upon our own specific sins.  The idea is that we should be examining our conscience during those 15 - 30 seconds, zeroing in on some of the more egregious ways that we sin against God and our neighbor, and asking for forgiveness.

But 15-30 seconds isn't very long, is it?  

It used to be that confession (which in the LCMS is a sort of quasi-sacrament behind baptism and communion) was a more intentional affair.  Prior to receiving communion, it was practice in many congregations for members to schedule private meetings with the pastor the Friday or Saturday prior to communion for private confession and to indicate their intention to take communion.  This provided pastors the opportunity to talk with members about situations that may have come to their attention that might need admonishment.  It was also another time of direct, personal interaction between the pastor and the members of the congregation.

To my knowledge, this practice has all but vanished.  People arrive for worship and have very little time to truly think through their confession, if they even are aware of what that moment of silence is used for.  I think that any tool that can aid people in better examining their lives towards the end of fuller submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ is a good thing.  Especially in a Christian culture that seems to all too often accentuate the servant nature of Jesus' lordship to us, while paying lip service to our duty to submit ourselves to Him.