'App Store Reviews Are Busted'
Let’s start with the original article by Terry Godier:
For example, if you have a 4.1 star rating in the App Store, any 4 star review is going to decrease that average. In other words, leaving a 4 star review is essentially leaving a negative review.
Problem #1 […] If you’re going to collect and average ratings from users, the system that works best is binary: thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Netflix switched from stars to thumbs in 2017, and YouTube switched all the way back in 2009.
I’d add one more to this list, and certainly one that’s more analogous to the App Store: Steam. Steam’s thumbs-based model is far superior. Not only can you rate and review the game (or app), but other users can also rate your review. Potential buyers can then find and filter by the most helpful reviews. It’s a better model for all involved.
Next:
Problem #2 is that even if the App Store switched from stars to thumbs, the system would still be gamified by developers, rewarding, as Godier aptly puts it, not the best apps but instead the apps that are best at “review prompt execution”. Apple should remove the APIs that allow apps to prompt for reviews, and forbid the practice of prompting for them.
Apple should remove those APIs, but they won’t, and until they do, we’re playing within that ruleset. Full disclosure, I’ve built what Terry and John are describing, Singapore Buses does include a review prompt. It’s insidiously well designed. On the third launch, the app asks for a rating.