There are numerous complaints that customers have about Apple's App Store. You can't try an app before you buy it, no refunds on apps, false app reviews, and from a developer's standpoint, too many restrictions and rules. Apple is now trying to fix at least one of those problems. The App Store now requires users to purchase an app before they can provide a review of it.
Customers of the App Store will be in for a rude awakening if they try to review an app without purchasing it first. Customers intending to do so will encounter the following error message:
When checking out reviews of App Store apps, we've all seen the comments about fake reviews. The App Store's review system has helped perpetuate itself into a free for all buffet for spam and phony reviews. Users were welcome to leave any comment they wish with no consequences. Needless to say, Apple is looking to stop this from happening in the future.
While, this won't quell more problematic concerns with the App Store, developers will appreciate the new restriction. Fake reviews can cause developers serious head-aches. These fake reviews are usually negative or positive depending on numerous factors such as developer popularity and overall community opinion. Developers won't have to worry about fake bad press or fake positive reviews. Apple is hopying that this new restriction will stop the App Store from being more of a popularity contest, than a useful center for information.
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It is about dang time. I hate going on the App Store and seeing all these "cheap" idiots complaining about something like "OMG!! $4.99 for a game! THAT IS RIDICULOUS! I am giving you one star and I refuse to buy it".
I will tell you what is ridiculous, Apple not making this a default standard when the App Store launched. Now what they should do is go back and wipe all current reviews from users who do not own the app.
Posted by: Jason | September 27, 2008 8:30 PM
Can someone please write a program which removes all iPhone related posts from my Netvibes RSS subscriptions? As one of the 99.997% of the world population that doesn't own or care about the iPhone, having every tech blog talk about it every day is annoying...
Posted by: Dan Grossman | September 27, 2008 10:08 PM
Very useful and actual information. For a long time such searched. Thanks.
Posted by: Serge | September 28, 2008 3:35 AM
Hmm, looks very interesting.. but how can we determine if its a fake review since a lot of blogs now are doing it?
Posted by: ITrush | September 28, 2008 7:23 AM
At some point, I hope that Apple ends its contortions and instead fixes the fundamental problem with the Apple store: the lack of trial software.
Other smartphone / PDA owners never had to go through these problem because they could just download a trial version. If you liked the software, you paid, if you didn't, you didn't. That is the reason so few reviews were negative - if you did not like the software or thought it cost too much, you just did not pay and moved on to do something else with your day.
Posted by: Mohammad Al-Ubaydli | September 28, 2008 10:49 AM
You are missing the key part of the changes made to the AppStore. This is just a small part of the update. Apple made some changes to the way they handle/sort the apps as developers are gaming the system. I included more details here.
http://touchmeme.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/apple-changes-app-listing-behavior-in-appstore/
Posted by: Touchmeme | September 28, 2008 4:26 PM
Seems interesting.......
Thank x for this use full Info....
www.futuretechwriters.com
mail@futuretechwriters.com
Posted by: Techwriters | September 29, 2008 4:15 AM
Apple is taking a step in the right direction. The internet allows users to find a wealth of targeted information on products before making a purchase, however it's not just about finding reviews, but ensuring what you're reading is genuine. Apple is acting as a responsible vendor ensuring shoppers have a holistic view of the application. This step isn't new, but being able to know what sites offer impartial, genuine reviews is.
Negative and positive reviews will always appear, but once again being able to qualify these is key. The additional insight purchasers can supply through providing background input into themselves i.e. are they a beginner or expert developer, what they feel is important for applications products provides a full picture. This allows users to make their own opinion on an application based on all the facts, allowing purchasers to truly benefit from genuine reviews whether they are negative or not.
Many online retailers allow unconfirmed purchasers to write reviews, which can generate biased (and at worst deceptive) content. At Reevoo we only publish reviews from confirmed purchasers, and we're pleased that Apple are taking this stance today. You can read genuine reviews of thousands of products at http://www.reevoo.com
Posted by: Chris Winstanley | September 29, 2008 5:03 AM
I actually saw quite a lot of HITs on Amazons' Mechanical Turk paying people to leave 5 star reviews on podcasts/applications, so hopefully this will stop things like that.
It does make more sense to make sure someone has at least used the application before they comment on it, although I do think they could allow a comment, without a 'review' if you've not downloaded it, that might be useful.
Posted by: Neil Edwards | September 29, 2008 5:19 AM
Excellent news! Absolutely perfect timing too, as THETA Poker, the strongest and easiest-to-use Texas Hold 'Em game for the iPhone, was just released in the App Store. I look forward to accurate and responsible reviews.
Posted by: THETA Poker | September 29, 2008 10:52 PM
The problem I have with this is that I own iTunes, I still run Mac OS X Jag, and if I want to leave a review of that version, how do I prove that I do indeed own it?!
iTunes from my understanding is a free download. So I don't understand why anyone who owns it can't review it.
Posted by: Don't Understand | October 21, 2008 10:28 PM