Apple Begins Testing Related Search Suggestions Feature on App Store

[Solver]

Apple should allow a user to change between list (old way) and full app mode (new way.) It would be as easy as changing the calendar app.

 

[skellener]

Glad they are doing something. Pretty sad when you can find things better with Google than Apple's own search within the store. Just google iTunes before your search in your browser and Google usually find what you are after.

 

[Millah]

Yea, the App Store is so crappy. Its only one of the most profound things to happen to the software industry in its entire history.

Seriously, I understand the criticism of Apples lack of dramatically improving things on the search/discovery side of things, but to call the App Store crap because of that is just ignoring the positive experience in search of the negative. I've never once thought to myself "ugh I hate this crap." Instead I'm constantly amazed at how awesome it is I can just open it up and find a new and awesome application at a whim. Maybe thats no longer unique to Apple's devices, but back in 2008 it certainly was.

 

[mdelvecchio]

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.

how strange. the thought that the store isnt good enough has never, ever crossed my mind. perhaps because i dont spend/waste much time there -- i read about apps in articles, on blogs, or hear about from friends, then i go into the store, search for it, download it. presto. works like magic.

what have i been doing wrong all these years!?

 

[avanpelt]

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?

The App Store is very utilitarian. It gets the job done, but it lacks some "niceties" that people have come to expect from the Apple experience.

For example, if I search for "Calendar", I have no way of knowing why the results are displayed in the order that they're in nor can I sort the results in the order I want to see them in.

On the iPhone, you still can't sort app reviews in order by the newest first. Yet in the App Store app on the iPad, you can. Why?

It's little things like this that add up and contribute to the feeling that the App Store, while functional and slowly improving, is still not up to the standard of excellence that Apple has set for itself in other areas.

 

[cmChimera]

The App Store is very utilitarian. It gets the job done, but it lacks some "niceties" that people have come to expect from the Apple experience.

For example, if I search for "Calendar", I have no way of knowing why the results are displayed in the order that they're in nor can I sort the results in the order I want to see them in.

On the iPhone, you still can't sort app reviews in order by the newest first. Yet in the App Store app on the iPad, you can. Why?

It's little things like this that add up and contribute to the feeling that the App Store, while functional and slowly improving, is still not up to the standard of excellence that Apple has set for itself in other areas.

Oh I agree that Apple could make some improvements, and should. Just the hyperbole in calling it the worst Apple product ever and yada yada was amusing.

 

[iChrist]

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.

No. If you are searching for an App, and it's not the first to come up, the end user has to keep swiping endlessly to find it. How many give up after 5-10 swipes? This makes App Discovery more difficult.

 

[Gary03mw]

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.

I agree with this.

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.

I disagree with this.


Imagine your photos app always zoomed in to a single photo. Yeah, you can see a single photo in all its glory but the ability to quickly glance at the larger view is gone. The issue is that you should start your search wide and narrow from there with filters that make sense. You should never start narrow and just stay narrow.

If I'm looking for a home on zillow. It doesn't just show me the first home that was listed and then force me to scroll through millions of homes. It starts wide and I filter out location, then price, maybe square footage, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. Then typically you get an at a glance thumbnail of all the properties that fit the filter. From there I can select the few that interest me enough to take a closer look.

Just imagine if all apps where done this way. If Instagram only had single photo view instead of thumbnails. If messages only had individual conversations that had to be thumbed through one by one instead of being able to see multiple threads. If Calendar only had individual days and you couldn't see months.

It was a big mistake to make that change to the app store.

 

[iChrist]

Imagine your photos app always zoomed in to a single photo. Yeah, you can see a single photo in all its glory but the ability to quickly glance at the larger view is gone. The issue is that you should start your search wide and narrow from there with filters that make sense. You should never start narrow and just stay narrow.

If I'm looking for a home on zillow. It doesn't just show me the first home that was listed and then force me to scroll through millions of homes. It starts wide and I filter out location, then price, maybe square footage, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. Then typically you get an at a glance thumbnail of all the properties that fit the filter. From there I can select the few that interest me enough to take a closer look.

Just imagine if all apps where done this way. If Instagram only had single photo view instead of thumbnails. If messages only had individual conversations that had to be thumbed through one by one instead of being able to see multiple threads. If Calendar only had individual days and you couldn't see months.

It was a big mistake to make that change to the app store.

Thank you. Well stated.

 

[arkmannj]

I like the suggestions,
I do still miss the days when we could vertically scroll through a list of apps.
It seemed quicker, and cleaner to me.

 

[TechGod]

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.

Sorry, know what Google Play store is? Yeah that thing has had related search for a long time.

 

[afsnyder]

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.

Well, it gets the job done. The search tab is the only downfall of the app. Everything curated from the featured sections is top-notch I believe.

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I like the suggestions,
I do still miss the days when we could vertically scroll through a list of apps.
It seemed quicker, and cleaner to me.

There was a rumor for iOS 8, I believe, that said they were going to move back to vertical scrolling.

 

[charlituna]

Apple has to do a lot more to improve the App Store App Discovery..

Better metadata in all their stores would be a blessing. Look at how libraries handle their systems and you can see a way better organization. They need something like that

 

[itpromike]

Please also submit your complaints to apple

Can everyone here who's complaining about the app store search functionality please also go and file a feature request with Apple? I feel like I'm the only who who's doing this and if just one person suggests a change Apple isn't likely to listen... I hate the way they changed search and because of that I rarely search for anything in the app store... I search on Google first and then type the exact name in the apps store search... This is probably the very opposite of what Apple wants but of course they don't believe in asking users their opinions so they didn't have a test or UAT of this new type of search. Anyhow, I hope they change the single app view in search results, it's awful. I also wish they'd let us just search over the bloody web and install apps to our phone with the click of the mouse on the App store website like the Google play store does. I love iOS as much, if no more than the next guy but some things Google actually has done right and the Play store being so versatile is one of them. /rant

 

[Tech198]

"Suggested searches can also lead to more sub-suggested keywords, which can be made up of general phrases and specific company and product names. "

This proves it. General searches in the list are useful sometimes, but if you know want you are searching for, and the name sort right etc, then these general search suggestions in addition are a waste, give this an option to appear in the list as well, or not.

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Can everyone here who's complaining about the app store search functionality please also go and file a feature request with Apple? I feel like I'm the only who who's doing this and if just one person suggests a change Apple isn't likely to listen... I hate the way they changed search and because of that I rarely search for anything in the app store... I search on Google first and then type the exact name in the apps store search... This is probably the very opposite of what Apple wants but of course they believe in asking users their opinions so they didn't have a test or UAT of this new type of search. Anyhow, I hope they change the single app view in search results, it's awful. I also wish they'd let us just search over the bloody web and install apps to our phone with the click of the mouse on the App store website like the Google play store does. I love iOS as much, if no more than the next guy but some things Google actually has done right and the Play store being so versatile is one of them. /rant

You wanna bet, I've just blasted Apple out of the water over three replacement iPhones all having faults, which is just not on..


After I calmed down, they said 'We're more than happy to give you a brand new phone."

That's the thing, everyone just accepts this as they are... No-one complains no matter how small they seen to be.. My reasoning? Keep complaining, keep it up, and you'll get somewhere. If you don't do do anything Apple will just assume it's all ok. And feedback on Apples' Feedback page, while it works, it's not talking directly with anyone.

Unfortunately, you have to be rough with companies these days just to get what a customer deserves as a customer.