“Several readers have pointed out that app ratings and reviews are currently missing from App Store listings as viewed through iTunes,” MacRumors reports.
MacDailyNews Note: We, along with our readers, began noticing this earlier today, too.
MacRumors reports, “The reason for the change is unknown, but reports of it have been trickling in over the past fifteen hours and Apple has apparently yet to acknowledge the issue.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Good thing for us! 
We’ll hope to have positive news to share regarding our MDN app’s performance soon. Most of the issues aren’t with the app itself, but with the load placed on the server to send out the push notifications (the app’s not freezing, it’s just not getting what it needs). We’re working on it. We’re also looking into the issue of dropped logins, too.
Here’s the thing about those App Store ratings/reviews: Apple let just about anything in and never removed ratings/reviews that were simply wrong. For example: users giving one star ratings with reviews complaining about Push Notifications because they didn’t know how to turn them on/off (Settings>Notifications and turn them on/of universally or control them on an app by app basis) or a Windows sufferer who happens to have an iPod touch who didn’t like an article of ours that called Microsoft “Mediocresoft” – a compliment actually; mediocre is a rare top-end achievement for them – and therefore gives our app a one star rating. Hopefully, Apple’s finally fixing the App Store ratings and reviews mess. If they leave them off the App Store forever… hey, worse things have happened.
Just realized this as well
Just realized this as well
Maybe Apple wants to copy the review aspect found in Android’s market, where most reviews are very positive and direct you to a website where you pay once to pirate all the apps for free.
Maybe Apple wants to copy the review aspect found in Android’s market, where most reviews are very positive and direct you to a website where you pay once to pirate all the apps for free.
We need reviews.
We need reviews.
That was the problem with App reviews and ratings.
The very good ones were written by the App’s authors or their families and friends.
The very bad ones were written by the App’s competition and their families and friends.
You couldn’t believe any of them.
Let’s get a panel of reviewers from various fields to review each new App as it comes along. Doctors and nurses to do medical Apps, and so on.
Give them free hardware, reporting deadlines, iTunes credits for each review, good or bad and an invite to at least one Stevenote per year.
Did I mention I’m a Scientist with a background in Geochemistry, Geology, Paleontology, Mining, Mineral Exploration and the Oil & Gas Industry?
That was the problem with App reviews and ratings.
The very good ones were written by the App’s authors or their families and friends.
The very bad ones were written by the App’s competition and their families and friends.
You couldn’t believe any of them.
Let’s get a panel of reviewers from various fields to review each new App as it comes along. Doctors and nurses to do medical Apps, and so on.
Give them free hardware, reporting deadlines, iTunes credits for each review, good or bad and an invite to at least one Stevenote per year.
Did I mention I’m a Scientist with a background in Geochemistry, Geology, Paleontology, Mining, Mineral Exploration and the Oil & Gas Industry?
The App store through iTunes is painfully slow, perhaps removing the user supplied rating will speed it up a little.
I don’t know about others, but I don’t take a chance on anything more than a $1, a $1 a under I might take a chance and just download it.
By removing the rating, perhaps Apple is attempting to remove all obstacles to impulsive App Store purchases to boost sales numbers?
The App store through iTunes is painfully slow, perhaps removing the user supplied rating will speed it up a little.
I don’t know about others, but I don’t take a chance on anything more than a $1, a $1 a under I might take a chance and just download it.
By removing the rating, perhaps Apple is attempting to remove all obstacles to impulsive App Store purchases to boost sales numbers?
Not cool at all. If it’s broken, fix it, don’t throw it away.It’s like breaking the headlights on your car and deciding to not get new ones. Yes, I know the analogy isn’t apt, but you know what the hell I mean.
Apps are customer generated and used. Removing the ability to inform each other of opinions and insights on these things within that community is just plain stupid, and if it is true it will cause a shit storm of bad press, and will only strengthen the argument that Apple is only interested in giving you what IT wants to give you.
IF it is true.
Not cool at all. If it’s broken, fix it, don’t throw it away.It’s like breaking the headlights on your car and deciding to not get new ones. Yes, I know the analogy isn’t apt, but you know what the hell I mean.
Apps are customer generated and used. Removing the ability to inform each other of opinions and insights on these things within that community is just plain stupid, and if it is true it will cause a shit storm of bad press, and will only strengthen the argument that Apple is only interested in giving you what IT wants to give you.
IF it is true.
That’s just not how crowdsourcing works – you can’t have experts and editors only, and if that’s what you want then go to the magazines and blogs. The answer, just like for Amazon, is to have reviews by verified purchasers only, and for people to be able to vote on the reviews as well.
That’s just not how crowdsourcing works – you can’t have experts and editors only, and if that’s what you want then go to the magazines and blogs. The answer, just like for Amazon, is to have reviews by verified purchasers only, and for people to be able to vote on the reviews as well.
@ Big Als MBP:
“Let’s get a panel of reviewers from various fields to review each new App as it comes along. Doctors and nurses to do medical Apps, and so on.”
WHAT ?!?!
Who decides? Are people supposed to scan and fax to Apple their medical degrees?
What about all of the Fart apps? Should only people with documented gastro-intestinal disorders be allowed to review them?
You know who should be allowed to review an app? Anybody who has purchased or downloaded or used that app. Apple installed that standard some time ago.
Worried about deciding which review is genuine and which is there to bogusly inflate market viability? Welcome to the world of online commerce !!!
@ Big Als MBP:
“Let’s get a panel of reviewers from various fields to review each new App as it comes along. Doctors and nurses to do medical Apps, and so on.”
WHAT ?!?!
Who decides? Are people supposed to scan and fax to Apple their medical degrees?
What about all of the Fart apps? Should only people with documented gastro-intestinal disorders be allowed to review them?
You know who should be allowed to review an app? Anybody who has purchased or downloaded or used that app. Apple installed that standard some time ago.
Worried about deciding which review is genuine and which is there to bogusly inflate market viability? Welcome to the world of online commerce !!!
Maybe they are reviewing them and checking to see the proformance issues and all that so they know what to and not to approve on the apple tv apps when they start coming out
Maybe they are reviewing them and checking to see the proformance issues and all that so they know what to and not to approve on the apple tv apps when they start coming out
@MDN
If Apple allowed removal of negative reviews it would be seen as more censorship and negate the whole purpose of the review system, that is, the reader should decide if a review is valid or not. I do think developers should be given the option to reply to negative reviews, especially ones that are technically wrong or simply ignorant of app features. Ebay has done this in their comments and it seems to work quite well.
Also, Apple’s current policy of limiting reviews to the latest version should be dropped, IMO. Many devs are using updates as a way to block previous poor reviews.
@MDN
If Apple allowed removal of negative reviews it would be seen as more censorship and negate the whole purpose of the review system, that is, the reader should decide if a review is valid or not. I do think developers should be given the option to reply to negative reviews, especially ones that are technically wrong or simply ignorant of app features. Ebay has done this in their comments and it seems to work quite well.
Also, Apple’s current policy of limiting reviews to the latest version should be dropped, IMO. Many devs are using updates as a way to block previous poor reviews.
They’re still in the App Store apps on my iPhone and iPad. MDN’s 2 star rating still burns brightly.
They’re still in the App Store apps on my iPhone and iPad. MDN’s 2 star rating still burns brightly.
You can run but you can’t hide.
Then again, most ratings, reviews, and pontifications bear ittle resemblance to bjective reality, so we’re probably better off. Trolls.
You can run but you can’t hide.
Then again, most ratings, reviews, and pontifications bear ittle resemblance to bjective reality, so we’re probably better off. Trolls.
MDN
As someone that tended to put my old feelings about your CONTENT into the review I agree that the reviews should be vetted somehow. Your app was really quite good but I like all the side stuff the web page gives me.
And for the record either you lost some of the venom that drove me away or I am becoming to be a bit of a ummm let’s just say my parents may not have been married.
Either way I’m a loyal reader