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Is submitting reviews for actual podcasts a new thing; or were such reviews previously removed? I'm having a hard time understanding what point the author's try

by tjpnz 5y ago

Is submitting reviews for actual podcasts a new thing; or were such reviews previously removed? I'm having a hard time understanding what point the author's trying to make.

scim-knox-twox 5y ago
I feel like there was a lot of discussion on this topic a few years back.
concinds 5y ago
Apple Podcasts prompts you to review it on the App Store, but apparently only while listening to a podcast. I believe this is the only Apple app that prompts for reviews; and it's the new behavior that's responsible for bringing the rating from 1.8 to 4.9. Strange that the article doesn't mention this. https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/19/22791968/apple-podcasts-star-score-review-prompt https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/19/22791968/apple-podcasts-... > I wondered if maybe this was a common confusion with podcast apps, where listeners think they’re reviewing a podcast instead of the app itself. But no, I didn’t see that obvious pattern when I checked reviews for other top podcast apps in the App Store. Almost every review on competing apps was a review of the apps themselves. > Apple confirmed to The Verge that it’s using a new prompt but claims it’s nothing out of the ordinary. “With iOS 15.1 released last month, Apple Podcasts began prompting listeners to leave a rating and review just like most third-party apps — using the standard Rating & Review prompt available to all developers,” wrote an Apple spokesperson who only agreed to comment if they were not named.
- Aissen 5y ago
  Context for people who don't listen to podcasts: most hosts ask their audience for an Apple podcast(ex-itunes) rating of their podcast, which improves their visibility. Therefore we have a self-reinforcing loop.
- tjpnz 5y ago
  Thank you! That appears to be the context I'm missing.
- whywhywhywhy 5y ago
  > where listeners think they’re reviewing a podcast instead of the app itself. This seems very likely.
- jug 5y ago
  Pretty brilliant concept. Obviously they will like the podcast they are listening to, or they wouldn't listen to it. So you get a lot of positive reviews for as long as they are mistaking the review for the podcast rather than the app.
willis936 5y ago
Apple reviews reviews. Apple can arbitrarily reject reviews. One of their apps is unpopular. They have added motivation to toss out negative reviews. There are a lot of dark patterns about Apple's app store review process. Users get a "thank you we'll look at it" but never get a way to check the status of the review submission. It's like a slapping a "feedback receptacle" label on the side of a shredder.

by tjpnz 5y ago

Is submitting reviews for actual podcasts a new thing; or were such reviews previously removed? I'm having a hard time understanding what point the author's trying to make.

scim-knox-twox 5y ago

I feel like there was a lot of discussion on this topic a few years back.

concinds 5y ago

Apple Podcasts prompts you to review it on the App Store, but apparently only while listening to a podcast. I believe this is the only Apple app that prompts for reviews; and it's the new behavior that's responsible for bringing the rating from 1.8 to 4.9. Strange that the article doesn't mention this. https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/19/22791968/apple-podcasts-star-score-review-prompt https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/19/22791968/apple-podcasts-... > I wondered if maybe this was a common confusion with podcast apps, where listeners think they’re reviewing a podcast instead of the app itself. But no, I didn’t see that obvious pattern when I checked reviews for other top podcast apps in the App Store. Almost every review on competing apps was a review of the apps themselves. > Apple confirmed to The Verge that it’s using a new prompt but claims it’s nothing out of the ordinary. “With iOS 15.1 released last month, Apple Podcasts began prompting listeners to leave a rating and review just like most third-party apps — using the standard Rating & Review prompt available to all developers,” wrote an Apple spokesperson who only agreed to comment if they were not named.

Aissen 5y ago
Context for people who don't listen to podcasts: most hosts ask their audience for an Apple podcast(ex-itunes) rating of their podcast, which improves their visibility. Therefore we have a self-reinforcing loop.
tjpnz 5y ago
Thank you! That appears to be the context I'm missing.
whywhywhywhy 5y ago
> where listeners think they’re reviewing a podcast instead of the app itself. This seems very likely.
jug 5y ago
Pretty brilliant concept. Obviously they will like the podcast they are listening to, or they wouldn't listen to it. So you get a lot of positive reviews for as long as they are mistaking the review for the podcast rather than the app.

willis936 5y ago

Apple reviews reviews. Apple can arbitrarily reject reviews. One of their apps is unpopular. They have added motivation to toss out negative reviews. There are a lot of dark patterns about Apple's app store review process. Users get a "thank you we'll look at it" but never get a way to check the status of the review submission. It's like a slapping a "feedback receptacle" label on the side of a shredder.