10 ms·

How negative app reviews from iOS beta users could be prevented

38 points by jads 13y ago

tmslnz 13y ago
There really is no reason for Apple to allow reviews from beta versions of their OS. It doesn't bring the developers any useful insight, it's a time-waster at best and a commercial nightmare at worst. I too am left wondering why this is possible in the first place… especially since I assume Apple is fully aware of the "grey" iOS beta market.
- masklinn 13y ago
  > There really is no reason for Apple to allow reviews from beta versions of their OS. Even more so as developers are not allowed to push release for beta OS compatibility (though some sneak in and it's also possible to sneak in fixes without mentioning the OS I believe. Risky though)
  - smackfu 13y ago
    Even more so that the bug may actually be in iOS 7 and not in the developers app, so they are powerless to fix it.
  - rbritton 13y ago
    I've had no problem submitting iOS 7 compatibility fixes with it specifically mentioned in the releases notes and downloaded other updates that have as well (e.g., 1Password if I remember right). As far as I know you're only restricted from apps built with Xcode 5 and built against the iOS 7 SDK rather than with Xcode 4 and weak-linked to iOS 7 parts.
  - rsynnott 13y ago
    You're allowed make a fix for iOS 7 and label it as such in the release notes, provided that it's done using the 6.x SDK.
- awkward 13y ago
  On the other hand, is there any reason to prevent them? If anything, this is driving developers hard to get onto the new version, or at least compatible with it. Apple doesn't seem to have any incentive to prevent these reviews, and they have a big change in their platform coming up with a need to get developers on board.
- bredren 13y ago
  I'm all for Apple doing this. But it seems a pretty good reason might simply be that this would require another conditional be built into the software. And if you talk to my programmer, he doesn't like adding weird exceptions to the code. Even if it makes things "easier" for product people. :)
  - Aldo_MX 13y ago
    If Apple added a delay to prevent pressing caps lock too fast in an apple keyboard, then they can disable reviews from beta versions of iOS. PS. Not joking about the keyboard delay, it sucks :/ http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1578 http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1578
lucaspiller 13y ago
> If I see a review that contains the word "iTouch" I don't just report it to Apple, I report it to the proper authorities. Eh?
- briandear 13y ago
  I'm not sure, but I think it's some kind of attempt at funny.
- fragmede 13y ago
  I saw that; made it hard to take the rest of the article at all seriously.
josephlord 13y ago
Also offer a way for users to contact you and let you know about the issues other than through the reviews. I've found a number of apps that don't work with iOS 7 and I contacted at least one developer through email or there website to let the know. With another (a large company) I couldn't find any way to contact them on their website so I gave them a medium review not for incompatibility with iOS 7 but for being uncontactable.
- M4v3R 13y ago
  I believe that lack of communication channel is not a problem here. If someone like you wants to let the developer know about this, he will find a way to contact him. Most of these reviews are from the non-developer crowd who somehow ended up with beta software on their phone and they don't understand that developers can do little about this for the moment, nor they understand that their negative review has a bad impact on the developer himself.
  - briandear 13y ago
    Exactly. Most major (and minor apps) are already retooled for iOS 7 (or are in progress) -- so something not working on iOS7 is often obvious to the developer, but he/she can't release an iOS 7 update until iOS7 is released. So bug feedback is pointless from beta iOS7 because those bugs might already be completely fixed and ready for release.
0x0 13y ago
Agreed, it's absolutely ridiculous to allow reviews from a beta iOS. Especially since you can't submit apps built with the new beta SDK!
- masklinn 13y ago
  Although that won't prevent you from making the review from a non-beta iOS (or desktop iTunes) about an iOS beta.
  - 0x0 13y ago
    They should flag the apple ID used to purchase the app as "beta user", or at least the purchase itself, so that even iTunes cannot be used to post a review for that given purchase.
    - deong 13y ago
      Because no one has multiple iOS devices?
      - 0x0 13y ago
        It'd cut down on 95% of the beta reviews for sure, and the rest could probably be culled by searching for "ios 7" in the review body and/or combine it with looking for apple ids that have been used on an ios7 device.
ianstallings 13y ago
Apple should be restricting this, not us. But of course they aren't very good at things that aren't in the following categories: hardware.
deong 13y ago
I'm not sure how "Doesn't work on iOS 7" qualifies as a negative review exactly. He's not saying the app is a pile of crap. He's saying it doesn't work on iOS 7, which appears to be a factual statement. App reviews are not a guaranteed advertising venue. They are there for the reader, not the developer. The fact that an app doesn't work on iOS 7 is relevant to anyone using iOS 7, whether or not it's an official release yet. As the article says, the iOS 7 beta is pretty widespread at this point. I don't think you can have it both ways; if the beta is in that many hands, then the feedback is useful for potential buyers. Unfortunately, I'm guessing many of these reviews rate the app poorly as well. That's a much more legitimate complaint, and I assume what the author really wants to curtail. I think restricting reviews is the wrong way to go though. If you really can't be bothered to fix the issue until launch, then stick something in the description telling people that the iOS 7 version will be live on launch day. If enough people are complaining about it in the meantime to make a significant difference in your app's rating, then I'd take that as a pretty clear sign that you should consider fixing the problem. No one is forcing you to rewrite from scratch, and the vast majority of apps are going to update existing codebases just fine instead.
- jads 13y ago
  The problem isn't so much that people are complaining it doesn't work with iOS 7, it's that those reviews are usually accompanied by a low star rating or, in some cases, harsh criticism based upon the user's ignorance. I don't mean ignorant in a harsh or derogatory way, I mean it literally - the user doesn't know why and assumes that because the app is the thing that is crashing, it must be the app.
  - deong 13y ago
    I would expect that sort of user to (a) probably not be running an iOS beta, and (b) less likely to think to report it as not working on iOS 7 specifically. I'm sure in both cases there are exceptions, but it's surely not the majority. Agreed, the 1-star reviews are unfortunate. That's exactly what I was talking about as well. I just don't think it's a big enough problem to justify removing the ability for people to post useful information regarding compatibility with an OS version that exists in the field in significant numbers.
pudquick 13y ago
I really wish the title of the article was more along the lines "Apple should prevent negative app reviews when using iOS beta". I felt a little mislead and thought that a developer had somehow figured out how to do the current title of the submission (news) vs. what it was really about (opinion, that I agree with, but not news).
envex 13y ago
I think an easier solution would be to just hide reviews that are submitted from a device that's running a beta version of the OS. That way (legit) customers can still submit feedback, but it doesn't affect the app on the appstore.
- TheAnimus 13y ago
  Or group reviews by class. That way someone who is saying it's crap on an iPhone5 running iOS7 won't influence the vote of someone who is on an iPhone4 running 6. Same way someone on a 3S won't be able to post "It's too slow" to put off 5 users.
aetch 13y ago
Apple should change how they distribute beta OSes so that it is more difficult for non-developers who just want the 'latest' to get it.
- gizmo686 13y ago
  Based on this article, it sounds like you already have to be a developer (which costs a $99 fee) in order to get the beta. I don't think Apple can reasonably set a bar higher then paying $99 dollars to join the Developers program.
phil 13y ago
Everyone has wanted this for years now. I wouldn't hold my breath.
vlbeta 13y ago
The real problem lays in the default trained behavior of the user - leave a review if _anything_. Both app developers and Apple have wrongly been pushing users to voice opinions publicly in app reviews, leaving app developers exposed with no way to communicate with those users. The real solution is to start pushing users to communicate their suggestions and issues privately, in the app, where you can better manage conversations, keep users engaged, and establish relationships that can turn upset users into long-term evangelists. 1) Do not bury support or email buttons multiple taps deep. Surface a contact button so that it's easier for users to contact you. 2) Do not ask users to fill out more than a single field to send you their thoughts. Automatically capture user ID, device, platform, OS version, app version, etc. by passing a unique session or user ID. 3) Keep them in your app, engaged, and talking. Think of this more like "user relations", not "user support". You need them engaged and sharing their thoughts more than they need you and your app. In terms of what can be done now for helping to avoid iOS 7 app reviews, here are a few suggestions: 1) Add an alert for iOS 7 users that your app is not yet compatible: http://mobile.tutsplus.com/tutorials/iphone/uialertview/ http://mobile.tutsplus.com/tutorials/iphone/uialertview/ 2) Here's an example: [[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:@"Unsupported iOS Version" message: @"This version of the app is untested on this version of iOS, please check for an update in the app store." delegate: self cancelButtonTitle:@"Skip" otherButtonTitles:@"App Store",nil]; 2) If you have an email list of your users, send them an email with when they can expect the OS update. Users will expect a great, new experience with iOS 7 and will be deleting apps that don't meet their expectations. You can't expect users to keep using your app when there is so much new "eye candy" on the App Store. P.S. Stuart from Appbot actually covered this with a scary screenshot of iOS7 reviews only one week into Beta1: http://stuartkhall.com/posts/stop-allowing-app-reviews-from-beta-ios-versions http://stuartkhall.com/posts/stop-allowing-app-reviews-from-...
philipbroadway 13y ago
The reviews, taken as feedback and then sent directly to the developers could be useful. But to have the reviews/feedback actually show up in the iTunes store reflects bad for Apple and the developers of the app.

38 points by jads 13y ago

There really is no reason for Apple to allow reviews from beta versions of their OS. It doesn't bring the developers any useful insight, it's a time-waster at best and a commercial nightmare at worst. I too am left wondering why this is possible in the first place… especially since I assume Apple is fully aware of the "grey" iOS beta market.

masklinn 13y ago
> There really is no reason for Apple to allow reviews from beta versions of their OS. Even more so as developers are not allowed to push release for beta OS compatibility (though some sneak in and it's also possible to sneak in fixes without mentioning the OS I believe. Risky though)
- smackfu 13y ago
  Even more so that the bug may actually be in iOS 7 and not in the developers app, so they are powerless to fix it.
- rbritton 13y ago
  I've had no problem submitting iOS 7 compatibility fixes with it specifically mentioned in the releases notes and downloaded other updates that have as well (e.g., 1Password if I remember right). As far as I know you're only restricted from apps built with Xcode 5 and built against the iOS 7 SDK rather than with Xcode 4 and weak-linked to iOS 7 parts.
- rsynnott 13y ago
  You're allowed make a fix for iOS 7 and label it as such in the release notes, provided that it's done using the 6.x SDK.
awkward 13y ago
On the other hand, is there any reason to prevent them? If anything, this is driving developers hard to get onto the new version, or at least compatible with it. Apple doesn't seem to have any incentive to prevent these reviews, and they have a big change in their platform coming up with a need to get developers on board.
bredren 13y ago
I'm all for Apple doing this. But it seems a pretty good reason might simply be that this would require another conditional be built into the software. And if you talk to my programmer, he doesn't like adding weird exceptions to the code. Even if it makes things "easier" for product people. :)
- Aldo_MX 13y ago
  If Apple added a delay to prevent pressing caps lock too fast in an apple keyboard, then they can disable reviews from beta versions of iOS. PS. Not joking about the keyboard delay, it sucks :/ http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1578 http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1578

lucaspiller 13y ago

> If I see a review that contains the word "iTouch" I don't just report it to Apple, I report it to the proper authorities. Eh?

briandear 13y ago
I'm not sure, but I think it's some kind of attempt at funny.
fragmede 13y ago
I saw that; made it hard to take the rest of the article at all seriously.

josephlord 13y ago

Also offer a way for users to contact you and let you know about the issues other than through the reviews. I've found a number of apps that don't work with iOS 7 and I contacted at least one developer through email or there website to let the know. With another (a large company) I couldn't find any way to contact them on their website so I gave them a medium review not for incompatibility with iOS 7 but for being uncontactable.

M4v3R 13y ago
I believe that lack of communication channel is not a problem here. If someone like you wants to let the developer know about this, he will find a way to contact him. Most of these reviews are from the non-developer crowd who somehow ended up with beta software on their phone and they don't understand that developers can do little about this for the moment, nor they understand that their negative review has a bad impact on the developer himself.
- briandear 13y ago
  Exactly. Most major (and minor apps) are already retooled for iOS 7 (or are in progress) -- so something not working on iOS7 is often obvious to the developer, but he/she can't release an iOS 7 update until iOS7 is released. So bug feedback is pointless from beta iOS7 because those bugs might already be completely fixed and ready for release.

0x0 13y ago

Agreed, it's absolutely ridiculous to allow reviews from a beta iOS. Especially since you can't submit apps built with the new beta SDK!

masklinn 13y ago
Although that won't prevent you from making the review from a non-beta iOS (or desktop iTunes) about an iOS beta.
- 0x0 13y ago
  They should flag the apple ID used to purchase the app as "beta user", or at least the purchase itself, so that even iTunes cannot be used to post a review for that given purchase.
  - deong 13y ago
    Because no one has multiple iOS devices?
    - 0x0 13y ago
      It'd cut down on 95% of the beta reviews for sure, and the rest could probably be culled by searching for "ios 7" in the review body and/or combine it with looking for apple ids that have been used on an ios7 device.

ianstallings 13y ago

Apple should be restricting this, not us. But of course they aren't very good at things that aren't in the following categories: hardware.

deong 13y ago

I'm not sure how "Doesn't work on iOS 7" qualifies as a negative review exactly. He's not saying the app is a pile of crap. He's saying it doesn't work on iOS 7, which appears to be a factual statement. App reviews are not a guaranteed advertising venue. They are there for the reader, not the developer. The fact that an app doesn't work on iOS 7 is relevant to anyone using iOS 7, whether or not it's an official release yet. As the article says, the iOS 7 beta is pretty widespread at this point. I don't think you can have it both ways; if the beta is in that many hands, then the feedback is useful for potential buyers. Unfortunately, I'm guessing many of these reviews rate the app poorly as well. That's a much more legitimate complaint, and I assume what the author really wants to curtail. I think restricting reviews is the wrong way to go though. If you really can't be bothered to fix the issue until launch, then stick something in the description telling people that the iOS 7 version will be live on launch day. If enough people are complaining about it in the meantime to make a significant difference in your app's rating, then I'd take that as a pretty clear sign that you should consider fixing the problem. No one is forcing you to rewrite from scratch, and the vast majority of apps are going to update existing codebases just fine instead.

jads 13y ago
The problem isn't so much that people are complaining it doesn't work with iOS 7, it's that those reviews are usually accompanied by a low star rating or, in some cases, harsh criticism based upon the user's ignorance. I don't mean ignorant in a harsh or derogatory way, I mean it literally - the user doesn't know why and assumes that because the app is the thing that is crashing, it must be the app.
- deong 13y ago
  I would expect that sort of user to (a) probably not be running an iOS beta, and (b) less likely to think to report it as not working on iOS 7 specifically. I'm sure in both cases there are exceptions, but it's surely not the majority. Agreed, the 1-star reviews are unfortunate. That's exactly what I was talking about as well. I just don't think it's a big enough problem to justify removing the ability for people to post useful information regarding compatibility with an OS version that exists in the field in significant numbers.

pudquick 13y ago

I really wish the title of the article was more along the lines "Apple should prevent negative app reviews when using iOS beta". I felt a little mislead and thought that a developer had somehow figured out how to do the current title of the submission (news) vs. what it was really about (opinion, that I agree with, but not news).

envex 13y ago

I think an easier solution would be to just hide reviews that are submitted from a device that's running a beta version of the OS. That way (legit) customers can still submit feedback, but it doesn't affect the app on the appstore.

TheAnimus 13y ago
Or group reviews by class. That way someone who is saying it's crap on an iPhone5 running iOS7 won't influence the vote of someone who is on an iPhone4 running 6. Same way someone on a 3S won't be able to post "It's too slow" to put off 5 users.

aetch 13y ago

Apple should change how they distribute beta OSes so that it is more difficult for non-developers who just want the 'latest' to get it.

gizmo686 13y ago
Based on this article, it sounds like you already have to be a developer (which costs a $99 fee) in order to get the beta. I don't think Apple can reasonably set a bar higher then paying $99 dollars to join the Developers program.

phil 13y ago

Everyone has wanted this for years now. I wouldn't hold my breath.

vlbeta 13y ago

The real problem lays in the default trained behavior of the user - leave a review if _anything_. Both app developers and Apple have wrongly been pushing users to voice opinions publicly in app reviews, leaving app developers exposed with no way to communicate with those users. The real solution is to start pushing users to communicate their suggestions and issues privately, in the app, where you can better manage conversations, keep users engaged, and establish relationships that can turn upset users into long-term evangelists. 1) Do not bury support or email buttons multiple taps deep. Surface a contact button so that it's easier for users to contact you. 2) Do not ask users to fill out more than a single field to send you their thoughts. Automatically capture user ID, device, platform, OS version, app version, etc. by passing a unique session or user ID. 3) Keep them in your app, engaged, and talking. Think of this more like "user relations", not "user support". You need them engaged and sharing their thoughts more than they need you and your app. In terms of what can be done now for helping to avoid iOS 7 app reviews, here are a few suggestions: 1) Add an alert for iOS 7 users that your app is not yet compatible: http://mobile.tutsplus.com/tutorials/iphone/uialertview/ http://mobile.tutsplus.com/tutorials/iphone/uialertview/ 2) Here's an example: [[UIAlertView alloc] initWithTitle:@"Unsupported iOS Version" message: @"This version of the app is untested on this version of iOS, please check for an update in the app store." delegate: self cancelButtonTitle:@"Skip" otherButtonTitles:@"App Store",nil]; 2) If you have an email list of your users, send them an email with when they can expect the OS update. Users will expect a great, new experience with iOS 7 and will be deleting apps that don't meet their expectations. You can't expect users to keep using your app when there is so much new "eye candy" on the App Store. P.S. Stuart from Appbot actually covered this with a scary screenshot of iOS7 reviews only one week into Beta1: http://stuartkhall.com/posts/stop-allowing-app-reviews-from-beta-ios-versions http://stuartkhall.com/posts/stop-allowing-app-reviews-from-...

philipbroadway 13y ago

The reviews, taken as feedback and then sent directly to the developers could be useful. But to have the reviews/feedback actually show up in the iTunes store reflects bad for Apple and the developers of the app.