Apple Seeking to Increase Participation in App Store Ratings?

[moopf]

Well a few thoughts on it.

For free apps. I don't think it matters so much. Since I can try it out if I want.

But for pay apps, for the average user (most iPhone users), deleting a paid app is a significant deal. Remember, the vast majority of users aren't trying to figure out which apps they want to fit on their 9 available pages. I think a delete for a paid app from an average user is a significant event and think those thoughts being reflected in the rating is not a bad thing.

I don't know if I would expect a lot of apps to be unfairly rated with this.

arn

Surely, if anything, they're more likely to be harsh with paid apps though?

I'm not sure about whether a lot of apps would be unfairly rated or not, I have concerns that it could happen (see my first post on this thread) due to that good old thing called human nature - you're asked to rate at a time when you're bored enough of it to delete it, even if you liked it. If you're asking for feedback on what is essentially a negative action (deleting) then it follows, in my opinion anyway, that the feedback is more likely to be negative, regardless of what the consumer actually got from the app in the first place.

 

[Sbrocket]

But for pay apps, for the average user (most iPhone users), deleting a paid app is a significant deal. Remember, the vast majority of users aren't trying to figure out which apps they want to fit on their 9 available pages. I think a delete for a paid app from an average user is a significant event and think those thoughts being reflected in the rating is not a bad thing.

I don't know if I would expect a lot of apps to be unfairly rated with this.

arn

The problem is that it doesn't at the same time encourage satisfied users to submit positive reviews or ratings. I agree that deleting an app could potentially be a significant event, but I think this system as it would seem to work from this single screenshot introduces too much negative slant in a review system that is still feeling the effects of the old "Costs too much", "What's this do"-style reviews.

This seems like a mistake to me.

 

[decimortis]

If I'm deleting an app, for whatever reason, I don't want to waste anymore time rating it either way. I'll be pushing that No Thanks button a lot.

 

[themoonisdown09]

If I'm deleting an app, for whatever reason, I don't want to waste anymore time rating it either way. I'll be pushing that No Thanks button a lot.

Wouldn't it take just as much to time press a star rating as it does to press the no thanks?

 

[Sbrocket]

Oh, and another point - I know at least from the developer point of view that ratings without reviews (or reviews that make sense) are extremely frustrating. Developers don't mind fixing or adding stuff if there's things you think are lacking in apps, but you actually have give reasons in the review. This would seem to just encourage blind, star-rating-with-no-text reviews. Another bad point imo.

 

[Small White Car]

I think the comments here are assuming a LOT.

I've probably downloaded about 100 apps since the store came out. I probably have about 20 on my phone right now. So how do the other 80 work out?

I'd say that of the apps I've removed from the phone, I'd give at least 60 of those 80 a "4 star" review. I just decided I didn't need them, but they were well-made apps.

This is almost the exact opposite of what everyone here is predicting will happen. So I ask you: Am I abnormal? Or is everyone guessing wrong?

 

[sfh]

couldn't the developer just program their own ratings screen in?

 

[Sbrocket]

couldn't the developer just program their own ratings screen in?

No, they can't.

 

[themoonisdown09]

I think the comments here are assuming a LOT.

I've probably downloaded about 100 apps since the store came out. I probably have about 20 on my phone right now. So how do the other 80 work out?

I'd say that of the apps I've removed from the phone, I'd give at least 60 of those 80 a "4 star" review. I just decided I didn't need them, but they were well-made apps.

This is almost the exact opposite of what everyone here is predicting will happen. So I ask you: Am I abnormal? Or is everyone guessing wrong?

Your definitely abnormal! No, I just think that deleting a paid-for app is different than deleting a free app.

 

[evilyankeefan]

Perhaps I'm oversimplifying things here. Wouldn't it be helpful if there was some generic template in the App Store which can involve several questions about the app using a 1 to 10 scale. A week or so after the app has been installed, send an email out to the user which points them to this.

Creating the generic questions would be difficult, but a star rating sort of limits the type of feedback.

Just a thought. Still up to the individual to provide the feedback.

 

[Small White Car]

Your definitely abnormal! No, I just think that deleting a paid-for app is different than deleting a free app.

Well, then I'm with Arn. I think those apps should be "punished" more. The 3 or 4 paid apps that I didn't like were kind of a bummer.

I'm fairly sure that the good apps won't suffer as much.

Yeah, maybe it will take the "good" apps from 4.5 stars down to 4 stars. But it will probably take the "bad" ones from 3 to 1 stars. So even though everything's going down, it's the bad ones that will suffer more.

 

[decimortis]

Wouldn't it take just as much time to press a star rating as it does to press the no thanks?

No, it would take twice as long.

 

[synth3tik]

You would think no developer would want people to publicly rate their apps before deleting them. For sure they would like it for themselves but to have it posted in the app store. Silly.

 

[kornyboy]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5F136 Safari/525.20)

I agree with many here by saying that it seems like it may doom an app if you are only asking people that are deleting the app to post a rating. I suspect you may get a number of extra ratings that are low.

 

[themoonisdown09]

Maybe this will push developers to make sure their application is top notch and not just a quick release.

 

[wolfshades]

It'll probably even out in the wash. I've deleted a few pay apps because I was bored with them, or because they operated a bit differently than I expected. Yet they were well-made and I would have given them a 3 or 4 star rating had the option been available.

Not that many people bother to go to the Apps page to offer a review and of those that do, I would suggest that the majority are negative, because people tend to speak up more when they're complaining. Of the few apps that get great reviews, it's because the apps were outstanding and exceptional.

We'll probably see a global slide toward the negative but...the neat thing about this is that you'll get a far larger volume of feedback - I see that as a good thing.

 

[Buschmaster]

Sucks to be a developer... It's as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.

 

[Kwill]

I kept clicking the "No Thanks" button within the screenshot on the MacRumors page and nothing happened.

 

[lucasgladding]

Encouraging participation is great, but the feature could be redesigned to handle user and developer concerns. The initial prompt could simply be "leave review" and "no thanks". When the user taps "leave review", the phone brings up another screen that requires text in addition to the rating.

Personally, the behavior reminds me of Windows. If I tell the phone to delete an application, that's all I want it to do. I can leave a review by visiting the App Store and typing something there.

Finally, the reviews should be prompted in iTunes if anywhere. Reviews will likely be more detailed if left with a full-size keyboard. I love the keyboard on the phone, but my messages there are always shorter than on my system.

@wolfshades: if only more customers were like you .

 

[ryanwarsaw]

while this may sample more negative ratings, I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.

arn

I agree with Arn here, if you are deleting something it means it wasn't any good. As such it is maybe the most realistic way of rating an app. Good apps stay and bad apps go. It is as good a benchmark as any especially for paid apps. I paid $10 but deleted it. Now why would that be? For free apps it doesn't matter but if people are deleting apps they paid for it is very telling.

 

[decimortis]

I kept clicking the "No Thanks" button within the screenshot on the MacRumors page and nothing happened.

Well there's your problem. You obviously have to press on your screen as hard as possible to get it to work. Try the tip of a pen if it still doesn't work.

 

[Kwill]

Maybe this will push developers to make sure their application is top notch and not just a quick release.

That doesn't sound profitable. Currently, app developers get one feature working to generate revenue while attempting to get the application really functional.

Apple does a similar thing with its OS releases -- only announcing "300 features" -- then spending the next couple of years ironing out the bugs. We're hoping Snow Leopard will address the main ones.

 

[highjumppudding]

OK, cool.

 

[moopf]

That doesn't sound profitable. Currently, app developers get one feature working to generate revenue while attempting to get the application really functional.

Ugh, no, not all developers do this. Unfortunately a large number that do lead us all to being tarred with the same brush. It's infuriating.

 

[kajitox]

Hm, you all make good points...

I think that it's not necessarily a bad thing since, as people have said, bad applications will get more negative ratings. I think that a lot of times people who are discontent get their voice out more anyway.

However, I do also agree that the difference between paid apps and free apps will be huge. I think I've only ever deleted one paid app in the same time I've deleted 20 free apps...that just means far fewer ratings (especially negative ratings) for paid apps, no bueno.

Perhaps a system can be put in place that, after a week, you get something that pops up much like an SMS pops up just like what was shown. Assuming you down download 50 apps a week, this could be something not so obtrusive.