Now Google has taken a step towards improving the app search experience with the addition of a ratings-based filter. You can now limit search results to apps that have a 4-star rating or higher, which, in theory, should weed out most bad or exploitive apps.
It probably won’t remove all poor quality apps, for a couple of reasons – this may not catch some new apps with just a handful of reviews, and, second, apps with tons of fake reviews will still go through.
Nevertheless, this small new feature will weed out most blatantly bad apps and is a good addition to an area where*Google still has lots of room to improve.
For now, the ratings-based filter is only available in the web version of the Play Store, but Google will probably waste no time bringing it to the Android app as well
Seems like a step in the right direction, giving privileges to “quality” apps. Could be unfair for apps with ratings slightly less than 4 though. And people selling ratings will be very happy of course.
It will be very good for spammers who buy ratings, bad for those who don’t. I have apps that are 3.9 (dropped like that after Google added that stupid sugestion box), I hope it won’t affect them. Most people don’t use any filters anyway.
I think it will have a rush for rating services and in the end.it will cause more damage than good.
Also, remember that there are many stupid people that downloads the app, give it 1 star and put comments like “I am downloading it. I will give it a try and if I like it I will comeback and change the rating”.
Also I bet many will invest in buying bad ratings for.competitors.
I would not mind buying ratings - hell, I’d buy dozens of them every day, I would not mind the money spent. However, I’m not sure, if Google is watching “fake ratings” or is preparing something in the background to detect them, and if it’s even safe to buy these ratings? I’m not willing to risk my acc for this, but I guess many people are. :-/
I would personally steer clear of artificial user actions, unless you have a throwaway account with dodgy apps. Only then is it probably a viable option.
While I agree that it may be good thing and hopefully a step in the right direction, I can also see why some people are questioning this move, because it actually does leave a lot of room for questions For instance, are people able to just go in and rate apps at anytime, or as many times as they want? Or do they have to buy the app in order to be able to rate it, and then are they only allowed to rate it once? For although it could weed out the low-quality stuff, etc…could it not also lead to ‘fake’ ratings/reviews and a potentially ‘unfair’ system? Just a thought
For instance, are people able to just go in and rate apps at anytime, or as many times as they want? Or do they have to buy the app in order to be able to rate it, and then are they only allowed to rate it once? For although it could weed out the low-quality stuff, etc…could it not also lead to ‘fake’ ratings/reviews and a potentially ‘unfair’ system? Just a thought 