This week’s iOS 10.3 release introduced a bunch of big and small tweaks to the iPhone and iPad operating system. One of the new features, which you might not have noticed right way, is the change in the working of app reviews and ratings.
Earlier, clicking on an app’s review request prompt would take you to its respective App Store page. The whole process was tedious and discouraging. Now, things become much more streamlined. Apple has enabled in-app reviews in iOS 10.3. It means that you can rate and write a review without leaving the app. It’s as easy as a couple of clicks.
Another big change in the app reviews mechanism is the added ability for developers to respond to reviews. We think it’s a fantastic move! The biggest problem with reviews is the one-sided communication, especially with the negative ones. A user just reports a bad experience with the app and it makes others apprehensive about downloading the app. Many times, a performance issue is not due to the app itself. It can be caused by the faulty network connection, version compatibility mismatch etc. Developers can now clarify this to the users and protect themselves from misplaced complaints. And of course, they can also personally thank the people who give them positive ratings.
Apple hasn’t just focused on developers’ problem while updating the review system. They noticed the big annoyance that users face when apps continue requesting them to write a review. To counter this, Apple has limited an app’s review requests to only 3 per year.
As you can tell, we are excited about these improvements to the app reviews working. The experience will surely be better for both users and developers. Well done Apple!
You can read the complete details about App Store reviews on Apple’s website.