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Now if only Apple will work on curbing their own abuse of seemingly random App submission rejections.

Sep 29, 08 - 12:52 pm Comment from: Wandering joe

That's ok, now if they'd curb their own "abuse" of potential developers (can you hear Balmer?) and give some proper guidelines as to what is kosher, and more importantly, what isn't.

Sep 29, 08 - 12:53 pm Comment from: OctoberMac

This was a long time coming. I hated people "reviewing" an app by say "I give it only 1 star because this app should be only $X then I would buy it". The reviews are more likely to be meaningful now. I wonder if they are going to scrap all the original reviews and start over now.

Sep 29, 08 - 12:53 pm Comment from: Wandering joe

Whooa, outgunned by a fat bastard!!

Sep 29, 08 - 01:10 pm Comment from: Randian

I want what I want, when I want it, how I want it. Listen to ME. Do what I say. Populism now, populism forever!

"Apple hopes this move will mitigate the number of bogus, or agenda-driven reviews that have been used to raise or lower an applications overall rating, sometimes at the hands of developers themselves," Oliver reports.

I don't see how that will stop a developer from purchasing his or her own app, perhaps even repeatedly, and then give it a glowing review. Some developers won't mind pumping some "marketing funds" into their product reviews.

It's about freaking time.

I think they should also include some kind of time limit where you have to have used the app for an hour or whatever before you can actually write a review. I hate reviews like "I just downloaded it, and I'm excited to use it", etc.

"Apple's iTunes App Store "now requires that users purchase or download an application before they able to post a review ... "

Fair. Logical.

Sep 29, 08 - 01:12 pm Comment from: DanielM

Now if only we could stop people making reviews on the iPhone or the Mac they don't or never had.

P.S. Remember, some developers were initially cheating the system to get top ranking in the App listing as well.

Whatever it takes?

(Especially since, one the low, scrappy end, there are multiple tip calculators, weather guides, dictionaries, fake lighters and white noise generators.)

Sep 29, 08 - 01:15 pm Comment from: Big Al

Fat Bastard. I gotta say you're wrong.

The iPhone SDK outlines fairly well the dos and don'ts of App architecture and non iPhone feature duplication.

I still don't understand the rejection of the '$999 I have more money than brains' App but the other 4 apps that were rejected did violate the SDK agreement that everyone signed.

Besides, if you want to make money selling cell phone apps, you'll code for the iPhone first, no matter what.

Now I hope Apple will work on curbing Flashlight apps.

Sep 29, 08 - 01:36 pm Comment from: Macintosh

Finally... I've been ranting about that since the App Store debuted.

That was a total mess... Nearing embarrassment. It was as if there was a new iTunes discussion board for teenagers who got an iPod touch for Christmas.

"I'd buy it if it was $1.99"... Good for you.

"Should be free"... You should work this week, for free.

I actually think that there are many iTunes customers that think Apple actually makes all the apps. I've seen quite a few reviews that say "Come on Apple, you shouldn't charge for this!".

This is a good thing.
To see an example, you can look at Tip Wizard in the Utility section.
Someone named "prkcz", Says they would not buy it, and gives it a poor rating.

Maybe Apple should have a sort order for "Recently Updated". That would be a middle ground.

Sep 29, 08 - 01:38 pm Comment from: Predrag

Modbus,

This will not elliminate the bogus reviews. Obviously, if someone wants to buy the app more than once, just so that they can review it more than once, there's nothing that could be done to prevent that. However, the likelyhood of that is extremely low. You'd have to create multiple Apple IDs (you can't post multiple reviews for the same app with the same ID), buy the app from each of these IDs and then write this review.

It is fair to assume that vast majority of bogus reviews will be gone, as the obstacles are now just too great for anyone but a negligible fanatical minority.

Sep 29, 08 - 01:40 pm Comment from: Predrag

It shouldn't be difficult for Apple to scrub the inelligible reviews from the store; just compare the reviewer's ID with the shopping history and remove the review if there is no match.

Sep 29, 08 - 01:41 pm Comment from: SirROM

Now if they would just give me back the option of aggregate searches. I want my “All iPhone Applications” choice back !!!!!!

That was a stupid thing to remove.

Sep 29, 08 - 01:44 pm Comment from: FloydPink

I'd also like the reviews to contain the date of review

Sep 29, 08 - 01:45 pm Comment from: Cubert

The App Store has been abused. You should have seen all the bruises this past weekend.

The App Store is now in a shelter for battered online stores.

Sep 29, 08 - 01:51 pm Comment from: Cubert

The should now have two separate ratings for any review - one for functionality and one for price.

Predrag:

My concern was not pointed at consumers but rather more at developers falsely pumping up their own "FANTASTIC" and "BEST" version of 200 beach noises for your iPhone.

Sep 29, 08 - 02:11 pm Comment from: CYxodus

Apple needs to wipe the reviews clean and start over.

Sep 29, 08 - 02:30 pm Comment from: Gunboat Smith

Apple: Just give us your money and keep your comments to yourself..

"It's a UNIX system! I know this!"

Last login: Mon Sep 29 09:05:33 on console
Welcome to Darwin!
Apple:~ stevesjobs$

rm /users/Appstore/reviews/

Chapman: Shut your festering gob, you tit! Your type really makes me puke, you vacuous, toffee-nosed, malodorous pervert!

Palin: Look, I CAME HERE FOR AN ARGUMENT. I'm not going to just stand...!

Chapman: OH, oh I'm sorry, but this is abuse.

Sep 29, 08 - 03:37 pm Comment from: Mr. Peabody

As Eric Roberts in the movie, Runaway Train, says, "Makes sense."

and why does the "all free apps" and "all iphone apps" only show through September 15? Or at least it did over the weekend? What happened there?

Sep 29, 08 - 11:34 pm Comment from: Petey

I always thought it was odd that some fantastic apps had all 5 star reviews and then there would be 1 or 2 with one stars.

Looks like a great move on Apple - this should have been implemented from day 1 on itunes for songs and movie reviews too!

Sep 29, 08 - 11:37 pm Comment from: Petey

Apple should restrict 1 review per app per itunes account.

This would stop people changing their 'name' in the review header and hence multiple reviews from the same person under a different 'name'.

Yeh, theres a few trolls, that give low ratings because the app isn't free