Apple Disables App Store Reviews From Devices Running iOS 9

[MacRumors]

Apple has quietly changed its App Store policies and is no longer permitting iOS devices running pre-release software to be used to write App Store reviews. When attempting to write a review from a device that has iOS 9 installed, a popup is displayed that tells users reviews can't be submitted while using beta software.

This is a much needed change that will prevent developers from having their App Store ratings and reviews affected by beta-related problems that are out of their control. As MacStories' Federico Vittici pointed out last week, negative App Store reviews left by beta testers have been an unaddressed issue for developers since Apple started providing beta software to public testers.

When beta software is released, some customers fault developers for apps that crash or do not function properly with beta features, leading them to leave negative App Store reviews even though there are months to go until apps need to be ready for the new software.

Following the release of the iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan public betas a week and a half ago, developers began seeing a huge uptick in negative reviews. Many of them took to Twitter to share 1 star reviews that included comments like "Broken with iOS 9.0," and it appears Apple finally took notice of the issue.

Gotta love 1-star reviews for iOS 9 Beta issues. https://t.co/6lrFn9cP65 - Paul Mayne (@paulmayne) July 11, 2015

While it is no longer possible to write App Store reviews while running iOS 9, it is still possible to leave star ratings. It is not clear exactly when Apple made the change, but with both iOS 9 beta 3 and beta 4, App Store reviews are disabled for developers and public beta testers.

iOS 8.4.1, a pre-release iOS build that is available only to developers, continues to allow App Store reviews to be left, so it appears this may be a change that affects only major software updates or software updates that have also been seeded to the public as part of Apple's public beta testing program.

Article Link: Apple Disables App Store Reviews From Devices Running iOS 9

 

[Watabou]

This is a welcome change, and about time, Apple!

I remember Overcast broke popovers for iOS 9 users and people started giving it negative reviews. Because they were running a beta OS. And that somehow means the developer is at fault.

 

[spitf1r3]

8.4.1 is just a bug fix release with no new features APIs, so it doesn't look so strange to me..

 

[C DM]

Seems almost reasonable (aside from the fact that for some reason they are still allowing ratings apparently).

 

[Jsameds]

Absolutely fair IMO.

If you willingly signed up and installed a buggy OS you shouldn't be able to have a negative impact on the app because it doesn't work on a buggy OS.

 

[Chundles]

This is great news. Beta users should not be able to leave star ratings or reviews at all. The links should take them to a bug reporter-style area where they can submit reports.

 

[PsykX]

This is a good thing, because too many people don't understand that iOS 9 is a BETA and it's possibly NOT compatible with your 3rd-party apps.

 

[PsykX]

The links should take them to a bug reporter-style area where they can submit reports.

Yes, that would be very useful.

 

[C DM]

This is great news. Beta users should not be able to leave star ratings or reviews at all. The links should take them to a bug reporter-style area where they can submit reports.

That would be even better--basically still give an easy way for users to provide feedback that could be useful to the developer, but not really show up anywhere publicly or affect the rating or any other aspect of the app in the store.

 

[H2SO4]

So you can’t actually say, “runs crap on iOS9”, but you can leave a 1 star score instead. That’s genius Tim, (nice but dim).

 

[H2SO4]

DELETED.

 

[spitf1r3]

This is great news. Beta users should not be able to leave star ratings or reviews at all. The links should take them to a bug reporter-style area where they can submit reports.

I think they should just not be able to leave 1-2 star reviews. If someone likes an app and gives it a good rating why shouldn't they be able to do so from a beta?

 

[BeardMan7]

I welcome that, but writing a review over iTunes on a Mac is still possible.

 

[H2SO4]

I think they should just not be able to leave 1-2 star reviews. If someone likes an app and gives it a good rating why shouldn't they be able to do so from a beta?

Because the playing field is not level. You can only fairly review something on a production device. iOS9 may have optimisations missing in iOS8 that make an app run better for all we know.

 

[Marlor]

This is great news. Beta users should not be able to leave star ratings or reviews at all. The links should take them to a bug reporter-style area where they can submit reports.

This was likely a quick, reactive fix, hence why you can still leave a star rating.

I'd expect them to disable star ratings, and perhaps even go further, once they have time to properly implement a solution.

 

[MH01]

That is a smart change.

 

[spitf1r3]

I welcome that, but writing a review over iTunes on a Mac is still possible.

It is,but there is no easy solution to that. The review system is broken and it has always been so..

A good way of dealing with it would be to ban people, who left bad reviews from beta,from leaving any reviews at all (for the beta period )..

 

[ChazUK]

Please don't tell me people were leaving negative reviews for applications whilst using a pre-release OS.

Give the developers and Apple a chance to perfect things.....

 

[belard]

I don't get why it's so hard for Apple to just sort out which reviews come from beta versions of iOS, hide them, and redirect them straight to the iOS software team. Boom.

 

[AlecZ]

Does anyone actually look at the ratings? They're useless. The written reviews can be useful in some cases, and that's it.

 

[spitf1r3]

This was likely a quick, reactive fix, hence why you can still leave a star rating.

I'd expect them to disable star ratings, and perhaps even go further, once they have time to properly implement a solution.

They didn't manage to improve the review process during all the time it existed...

 

[spitf1r3]

Does anyone actually look at the ratings? They're useless. The written reviews can be useful in some cases, and that's it.

I do look at them, to see if app has any common problem,before I buy it..

 

[jmh600cbr]

I'm shocked that a company as developed enough to release public betas do not create greater control and education on what a beta is and how it is used

 

[gnasher729]

Fact is, there are lots of reviews written by absolute idiots. i looked at one app that does X, clearly describes that it does X, does X very well, and has a few 5* reviews plus one 1* saying "I thought it does Y, but it doesn't". Well, if it clearly says it does X and you think it does Y, then you deserve the 1* and not the app.

One quite popular audiobook is on iTunes for $22, on Amazon it's two parts each for $14. Guess how many reviews complaining about the iTunes price (yes, $22 is so much more than 2 x $14). Idiots. And how is complaining about the price in a review useful to anyone? I can see the price. It's clearly advertised. You don't have to tell me in the review. Tell me about the product, the things that I cannot see from the product description.

 

[teslo]

This is great news. Beta users should not be able to leave star ratings or reviews at all. The links should take them to a bug reporter-style area where they can submit reports.

many people are so jaded and/or incompetent they probably wouldn't care or even realize why the link brought them there. their frustration lies with an app that 'is awful and a bunch of doodie' as far as they're concerned. i think apple is right in making sure they don't do anything at all, as useless feedback is still just useless. the sheer number of idiots who now have powerful devices in their pockets and absolutely zero appreciation or understanding regarding them is mind-boggling.

a good number of people at my job think i'm a total computer geek cause i can set up their 'find my iPhone,' or know that background app refreshes drains battery, so "turn most of those off." take two or three common words that anyone understands, put them together in context with technology and its like the words are now in japanese. "background app refresh? what the heck is that mumbo jumbo??"

clearly, there's more going on than not being able to follow simple 1-2-3 steps. it's some weird mental block having to do with tech culture. many people would rather complain and throw tantrums than figure basic things out.