Recently, Apple released iOS 10.3 and macOS 10.12.4 to the public on March 27, 2017. With the launch of this new iOS version, it becomes the third major update of the operating system iOS 10. The operating system iOS 10 was launched on September 13, 2016. This latest version iOS 10.3 was in testing phase since January 24. Now, it is available for free to update for all the users of iOS 10 and it allows to download it through iTunes. In addition, Xcode 8.3 is also available with support for iOS 10.3, Swift 3.1, tvOS 10.2 as well as macOS 10.12.4 and watchOS 3.2. This newly updated version of iOS 10 comprises major additions and also added some design tweaks and amendments. It become highly beneficial for developers as it includes a special feature for developers that enable them to respond the reviews of their customers.
In this blog, we would like to discuss about this much awaited feature of the latest version of iOS 10 and how developers can finally respond to app store reviews and how it works. Before this update, there were no provisions for developers to communicate with their app users or visitors to give a reply to their reviews or feedback. When iOS developers build new apps and launch on the app store, they eagerly awaited to know the response of their target audiences. In such condition, if the communication is only one sided that means customers can respond only, it becomes a critical situation for developers to justify their problems and provide a rational response against any complains or appreciate positive feedbacks. Finally, Apple has listened to the voice of developers and supports them to stay communicative with their customers in order to enhance the app usability and functionality.
Opportunity for developers to respond to app store reviews
There are several suggestions provided by Apple for developers that how they can respond to their user’s reviews. It has made clear for developers about the best ways they can give a reply to their app users.
- Use clear tone to communicate – The developer’s response will be considered ideal only if it becomes brief and obviously focus on the customer’s feedback. You need to communicate in the tone of your product or brand or services using the language that your target audience can understand easily and appreciate. You need to maintain the tone of communication in case, more than a one person in your company responding the customer reviews of your app.
- Do not use spamming – It becomes a vital for developers to follow the terms and conditions of Apple while replying customer’s review. Use of spamming, posting personal information of users or profanity becomes strictly prohibited.
- Can give priority to reviews – Moreover, developers should give priority to reviews based on the apparent level of significance.
- Filter facility – Developer can reply or respond the reviews under app -> Activity -> Rating and Reviews on iTunes Connect. They can also use filters to find reviews of users in order to comprehend the new markets.
- Need to go through review process – Before the response of a developer posted on the app store, it goes through a certain review process.
- Live interaction with your users for review – With the use of the SKStoreReviewController API, it becomes easy for developers to ask users to review or rate an app while they are using it, actively, without any interaction with the App Store. It benefits developers to hoard the reviews and ratings from their large target audience.
Related blog: How To Get App Reviews to Improve your Mobile App Downloads?
How users will benefit with this new updated version
- Users have choice to label reviews as “helpful” or “not helpful” in the app store for their review response in order to enhance the relevancy of review content. Moreover, Apple also looks for limiting the number of times (only three times in a year) developers ask for a review. It also plans to add an option for customers to turn off app review request prompts all at once. But till that period, users have to wait for these features.
- Users will receive an email alert once the developer responds to their review. With an answer from the developer, the email also asks with the link regarding update the review like “Do you want to update your review?” as well as you can also contact the developer.
Furthermore, Apple has also mentioned that developers cannot offer incentive to users in order to change the review ratings on your response.
In addition to these features for developers and users, iOS 10.3 comprises several other useful features such as rebuild open/close animations for apps, implemented iCloud storage usage breakdown, an Apple ID profile in Settings, warning message for those apps having version conflict with future iOS versions results in slow down devices and many more advanced features.
With such useful features, it becomes beneficial for iOS developers or iOS app development companies to identify the need of their target market using their suggestions, feedbacks and reviews. With the help of communicating with your users, you have more option to make useful updates in future apps as well as to establish trust in users mind by offering a valuable support.
Conclusion
Accomplishing demand of iOS developers by Apple that they can respond to app store reviews has provided developers new opportunities and abilities to enhance their support to their users by offering quick and precise respond to their reviews. This feature helps iOS developers to interact with their target audience and know their expectations to incorporate their suggestion in their feature apps. Thus, it built a bridge between the customer and the brand to exchange their views in order to gain much better outcomes in terms of better ROI and services.
