Updating apps is like navigating a mine field

[matrix07]

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5 Gig of apps and never have problem witj updating app crashing... so far.
Be it Flixster, Yelp or whatever.

 

[articcine]

Some of the apps are quite high quality, and I wish we could expect everything to be perfect, but unfortunately, even though "it just works", there will always be some kind of small problems.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

My point is that it would be really nice if I didn't have to worry about reading the reviews and could just update my apps on the assumption that they would get better than they were before and it would be true. It's not.

Might not be true for you, but its been true for me X 125 different apps X 3 different iPhones.

That said, I pretty much ignore the iTunes reviews altogether. Those systems are far too easy to game resulting in bogus ratings. I'm somewhat surprised that Apple hasn't fixed that yet.

 

[dukebound85]

While I have many gripes with the update process (namely devs being able to take functionality out of free apps in updates), I have never had an issue as you are describing

 

[jaw04005]

The only apps I've had trouble with updating are the larger applications like Tom Tom. Those updates periodically stall because of the size.q

The biggest problem I have with the App Store is that you can't tell if you've owned an application (or in-app purchase) until you've tried to rebuy it. Then you get the pop-up confirming that this download will be free, etc. Your iTunes purchase history is so convoluted that it includes every application update you've downloaded. So, good luck figuring out which applications you've paid for that are not on your actual device at that moment.

Apple should change the buttons on all applications you've purchased to "purchased" instead of displaying their regular price. The same should go for music, TV shows and movies.

 

[PNutts]

the biggest problem i have with the app store is that you can't tell if you've owned an application (or in-app purchase) until you've tried to rebuy it.

+1

 

[daneoni]

No problems for here, big or small updates work just fine

 

[Infraggable Kru]

There's nothing wrong with my phone because I avoid updating when I read that half the reviews say the app just crashes after updating.

My point is that it would be really nice if I didn't have to worry about reading the reviews and could just update my apps on the assumption that they would get better than they were before and it would be true. It's not.

Your post makes no sense

Isn't that what the reviews are for then ?
Sounds like the system works

I've never had a problem. You should Jailbreak your phone if you want more control , for 99% of everyone else it works fine.

 

[Consultant]

No problem with 99% of the updates.

There's nothing wrong with my phone because I avoid updating when I read that half the reviews say the app just crashes after updating.

My point is that it would be really nice if I didn't have to worry about reading the reviews and could just update my apps on the assumption that they would get better than they were before and it would be true. It's not.

Surely you know that real life = internet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02-nmFTo_XA
(Hint, it's not).

 

[prestomusic]

I'd say compare the process to any software update you might do on your computer... You always gotta check for bugs on your particular hardware / OS setup. I never update crucial software (such as Logic Pro for music production) on my Mac without checking other users' experiences first!

I guess most Apps are a little different, as most would probably fall into the 'non crucial' category E.g they aren't gonna wreck your life if they don't work... For Apps that are crucial to way you work or live, investigate first. For Apps that aren't, take a chance. If it's a free App, you can't really complain about anything (particularly advertising)! If it's a crap update, rate it as a crap update.

The iTunes review process isn't a bug fix process for developers to sponge off, it's to ensure that developers develop within Apple's framework, if that makes sense...?

peace!

 

[Eso]

The iTunes review process isn't a bug fix process for developers to sponge off, it's to ensure that developers develop within Apple's framework, if that makes sense...?

An explicit role of the app store review process is to ensure that apps do not crash - this includes updates.

 

[prestomusic]

An explicit role of the app store review process is to ensure that apps do not crash - this includes updates.

Yep that's number 1 on the published App Store approval process document for developers. But I guess Apple will say that when they tested it, on whatever iOS/hardware combo, that it worked! Bugs, including crashes, are funny things, sometimes they are predictable and repeatable, sometimes they appear to be completely random.

It would be great for everyone (consumers and developers) if Apple could spend days on every App just testing for bugs, but it really comes down to the amount of time and resources that they can commit to bug testing as part of the approval process, there are plenty other things they have to check for, I suppose.