App discovery, search capabilities, layout, user interface, categories, etc. – what needs help and what is Apple doing well?
What would you change, fix, add and/or remove to make the iTunes App Store – the desktop and/or the mobile version – better?
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Hmmm. How about deletion time – as in how long on average an app remains on a device before it is removed?
Macintosher –
I don’t understand your point. Are you saying you want your iPhone to automatically remove apps from the device once a certain period of time has elapsed (90 days, for example)? That makes absolutely no sense.
I’d remove some of the suck and replace it with more awesome.
They need to fire all of the management and replace them with people who aren’t niggling assholes trying to finagle rules to screw developers instead of delighting customers.
They need to beef up their scrawny hierarchy of categories so you can actually find apps.
They need to fix the buggy Most Helpful algorithm for the user reviews.
The App Store needs (1) a better search function, (2) fewer frivolous and/or copycat apps, and (3) better screening of reviews.
The App Store’s worst problem is the glut of crap apps, which threaten to trivialize the most revolutionary mobile device on the planet.
@ Tony,
I believe that Macintosher is asking for statistics for how long a user keeps an app on their device before deleting it. For example, I kept AP Mobile around for a few months, and I still have the MacDailyNews app. So, the numbers can vary widely.
I propose: Users can rate an app if they have kept it on their machine for at least a week.
My problem is not with the app store, but with the 11 page limit with the iPhone/touch. To keep me looking for more apps give me a folder system (or what ever you want to call it) to keep my apps organized and on my iPhone.
The only limit of apps I should have available to me is the amount of memory I have, not the size of my screen.
It would be great to have a shopping cart or a wish list before deciding to purchase.
Also I’d like to see a subcategory that ranks apps based on average customer review (stars)
what about a feature that automatically relocates frequently used apps closer to the home screen. This way less frequently used apps will be further away from the home screen.
@ Applejuice,
I wholeheartedly agree that the app store should allow either a shopping cart or wish list for apps.
There have been many times I’ve discovered an app that I might want to purchase (or compare with a similar app) and later losing track where it was in the vast sea of apps.
In 1997 Apple was on its death bed. Apple management has increased Gross Revenue from $5,941,000 in fiscal 1998, to $9,870,000 in fiscal 2009. In the interim the US economy experienced two recessions (2000- 2001 dotcom bubble burst through 9/11 and 2008 through present credit crisis).
There isn’t an armchair manager/pundit on the planet that could have performed a 5th as well, but they know what Apple needs to do to improve itself, in just about every Apple endeavor.
Bullshit.
What about wifi sync? That would be great wouldnt it?
Wish list, lish wist. It already there! Where u bin? It was added late Friday night.
i would agree with alansky.
1) better search function.
2) a search function that you can assign key criteria (productivity apps, office, database, free/paid) to narrow down the search among the plethora of apps.
there are many ways that Apple can wow us all. i just hope they implement it in time.
http://no-spamming/
It would be nice to have the ability to see all past purchases through the iPhone also, rather than going to iTunes exculsively.
App store needs more adult/themed apps, not all bubblegum,,, designer apps etc, cool color details for avatars , more custmizable features,,.
An option for simple text. Everything alphabetical, categorized and ranked in terms of popularity and outside reviews.
Personally I have pretty much given up on finding anything worth much in the app store. Search is terribly hard to navigate to find specific apps. Also need to be able to categorize by price. I would pay for apps that are worth it but can’t find much to purchase because of the frustration of wading through the thousands of screwball apps per broad category. Reviews are not really to helpful either. Normally I judge an app by download count. Weren’t there supposed to be many new “pro” apps that made use of the data port etc. If so I have failed to find anything. The whole process is just to overwhelming. The largest software store in the world and hard to find specific stuff of interest to buy.
Simple, have a 30 second preview movie of the app working.
@Neil
that’s a great idea. Do they allow a uTube link. That seems easy enough.
it is in serious need to have a better way to actually categorize the apps in it.
the major categories are fine. those categories need to be further subdivided at least one more level, maybe two.
its hard to believe a company that prides itself on user interface hasnt found a better way. the problem will approach critical mass as the apps continue to grow, and competitors have time to begin to offer their app stores.
Niji: I think we’re there. I rely more on personal recommendations than hunting through thousands of apps.
And no, I don’t hold any more sway than anyone else when it comes to this sort of thing. I wish.
How about personalized most popular lists? Among the 1000 people who have the most apps on their phones in common with your phone (not purchased, but actually on the phone), what are the top 100 other apps those people have?
Not really app store related, but I’ve stopped downloading apps as much as I used to since I’ve pretty much filled up all 11 screens on my iPod Touch.
A lot of the apps are junk, but I still don’t want to get rid of some of them. I would rather file them under some junk-app folder.
If the iPod Touch allowed folders, each of which opened up to reveal 11 or so additional screens for more app icons, then I would start downloading apps again. Also, it would make it easier to organize similar apps (ie. games / weather / new readers / etc..)
hmm…ditto what @The Other Steve said. I overlooked his comment.
Until the App Store gets better, sites like http://appexplorer.com/ provide much better search capabilities.
@Applejuice: you rank by average customer review on appexplorer.
@Dan You do know you can have more apps than fit in 11 pages, right? You just search for them to run them.