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As first spotted by TIME Planner developer Olga Osadcha on Twitter (via MacStories), Apple has begun testing a related search suggestions feature for some users in the App Store.

ios71_app_store_suggested_search-800x702.jpeg
The new menu appears to overlay itself on top of an existing search query, giving users search suggestions in similar categories - for instance, searching for "calendar" gives related suggestions for "calendar planner" and "daily planner", while a search for "sports games" displays suggestions to "action games" and "RPG games".

The suggestions box also appears to extend to some searches for specific terms, as searching for "twitter" will result in suggestions for "news apps" and the like. Suggested searches can also lead to more sub-suggested keywords, which can be made up of general phrases and specific company and product names.

The results appear in a similar fashion to queries in Chomp, which was an app search startup acquired by Apple in 2012. It is therefore likely that Apple could be using some of the suggestion technology utilized in Chomp, as Apple's reported reason for acquiring the search engine was to improve the App Store search and app discovery. Apple added the single-tile styled result to the App Store in 2012, which was also based off of Chomp's layout.

Currently, Apple's new App Store search suggestions are not appearing for all users, however that is likely to change as the feature undergoes more testing. It is also possible that the new search suggestions will not require a full update for iOS, as Apple is expected to roll out the new feature on top of the App Store's existing interface.

Article Link: Apple Begins Testing Related Search Suggestions Feature on App Store
 

dragje

macrumors 6502a
May 16, 2012
874
681
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
This is a cool thing indeed. Suggestions in this matter is a good thing, especially considering the amount of apps where you can get lost when searching for some helpful app.
 

cowbellallen

macrumors regular
Jan 8, 2007
165
13
This makes me realize just how crappy the App Store is. Even more shocking is that we haven't had this for the past 3 years.

The App Store has to be one of the worst designed products Apple has ever offered.
 

Broph

macrumors 6502
Jun 23, 2010
331
49
New Zealand
This makes me realize just how crappy the App Store is. Even more shocking is that we haven't had this for the past 3 years.

The App Store has to be one of the worst designed products Apple has ever offered.

I think it definitely went a step backward when they changed it so that you can only see one result per page for an app. I see no benefit at all.
 

MarkieMark92

macrumors regular
Dec 17, 2013
149
8
London, UK
Sounds a great idea

It sounds like a really great idea and didn't realise it was missing being honest. It will be good because if you don't know the name of the app then you will be able to type what sort of app it is and get a result. :apple:
 

wikiverse

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2012
689
952
This makes me realize just how crappy the App Store is. Even more shocking is that we haven't had this for the past 3 years.

The App Store has to be one of the worst designed products Apple has ever offered.

Really? Worse than .mac, pippin, Newton, g4 cube, hockey puck mouse, mobile me, ping, iTunes, OSX 1.0, and iWeb?
 

The Doctor11

macrumors 603
Dec 15, 2013
5,973
1,406
New York
Apple has to do a lot more to improve the App Store App Discovery..
Well luckly they have more then one person I do it. I think apple should work on app discovery. There is over a million apps for me to download I can imagine I'm missing out on some if would really like.
 

TWSS37

macrumors 65816
Feb 4, 2011
1,107
232
This looks like a company with no expertise in search related queries overhauling their search related queries.
 

numlock

macrumors 68000
Mar 13, 2006
1,590
88
Really? Worse than .mac, pippin, Newton, g4 cube, hockey puck mouse, mobile me, ping, iTunes, OSX 1.0, and iWeb?

its certainly up there.

i know the poster didnt say that but most of what you mention wasnt the only method of doing the task in question. with app store its only this pathetic search and interface which is a serious downgrade on the previous implementation.

btw was the pippin a bad product?
 
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cmChimera

macrumors 601
Feb 12, 2010
4,271
3,753
I love the comments calling the App store crappy, and one of Apple's worst products. Yeah, that must be why only Apple still uses one these days. Who would copy such a terrible product?
 

typeadam

macrumors regular
May 16, 2010
249
10
10016
Saw it this morning and at first I thought it was an error in the app... :p Could be pretty useful. Maybe.
 

dumastudetto

macrumors 601
Aug 28, 2013
4,990
7,130
Los Angeles, USA
This is actually great innovation to the overall App Store experience and nobody should be devaluing these ongoing efforts that will keep Apple on top of the world.
 

SeenJeen

macrumors 6502
Jul 16, 2009
381
279
I think it definitely went a step backward when they changed it so that you can only see one result per page for an app. I see no benefit at all.

The benefit is, you get to see what the App does (with a snapshot of the App) before even having to tap on it.

The old way was just App icon and App name. If you didn't know what the App did based on that, you'd have to tap on the App page, wait for the description and content to load, and if you didn't like it, tap back, and sometimes lose your place in your search. Very inefficient.

I think the new way is better than the old way. It's not fantastic by any means, but it's still better.

People are just crying about change because it's not what they're used to.
 

69Mustang

macrumors 604
Jan 7, 2014
7,895
15,043
In between a rock and a hard place
This is actually great innovation to the overall App Store experience and nobody should be devaluing these ongoing efforts that will keep Apple on top of the world.


Bubba, that's not Tim. After a thorough investigation it has been determined that poster is not human. It's a bot, stocked with random saccharine quotes that are intermittently dispersed over MR boards. Don't believe me, check the message history. I got a cavity just reading through it.:D

On topic: With the number of apps in the app store, this can only help navigate the store better. As more apps are added, the help will only become more apparent. This is definitely a "better late than never" scenario.
 

ds2000

macrumors 6502a
May 24, 2012
568
337
I wonder if a big paying app developer can get more recommendations......?
 

ZOZO139434371

macrumors newbie
Mar 8, 2014
15
0
Really? Worse than .mac, pippin, Newton, g4 cube, hockey puck mouse, mobile me, ping, iTunes, OSX 1.0, and iWeb?

The funny thing is that almost all of those happened under Steve Jobs. I suppose we're just lucky that the hockey puck mouse wasn't bad enough to hurt iMac sales, or who knows what would have happened to Apple.
 
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