Skip to main content

Apple is going to make it easier to read App Store reviews

A photo of an Apple screen and a close-up of the App Store icon with three notifications on it.
Brett Jordan / Pexels

Apple Intelligence promises to bring a lot of features to the Apple ecosystem, but one of the most exciting of those is text summarization. According to 9to5Mac, Apple plans to bring this same feature to the App Store. You’ll be able to see a rundown of the most common complaints and praise for an app before you download it.

There isn’t a lot of news about this feature yet, so we’re a bit light on the specific details. If we had to make a guess, the system will work similarly to Amazon’s product page summaries. The AI-generated review summaries found on most product pages likely follow the same format that Apple’s reviews will. It also looks as though Apple will generate the summaries on its own rather than using on-device processing.

Recommended Videos

Apple hasn’t disclosed any information on when the feature might go live, but the code for it is already in the App Store API. While there’s no guarantee, that fact does indicate the launch could happen at nearly any time. For an app to receive summaries, it must be available in “select countries and regions” and meet a specific review count threshold.

If a summary isn’t a great descriptor of an app, then the developers can request a review of any inaccurate summaries. Developers can’t remove the summary on their own, though — Apple will have to intervene. It’s an effective way to prevent malicious app developers from gaming the system while providing users with an easy way to see if an app is everything it’s cracked up to be.

Fraudulent reviews are a common problem on every online platform, but Apple says it has been vigilant in removing false reviews. Last year, Apple had more than 1.1 billion reviews posted to the App Store and removed roughly 152 million that weren’t legit.

Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
This Google app will make your Pixel look more like an iPhone
A person holding the Google Pixel 9.

As Google's Pixel line of phones has grown over the years, some fans have pointed out the increasing resemblance to the iPhone. The rounded edges, sleek design, and raised camera bump are all reminiscent of Apple's iconic device — especially with the newest Google Pixel 9.

Now, it looks like even the incoming call screen of the Google Phone app will be taking on an iPhone-like appearance. This is according to an APK breakdown by Android Authority.

Read more
The Apple Store is down. Here’s why you can’t use it
Apple Store down.

The online Apple Store is currently unavailable in preparation for today's "It's Glowtime" event. The store still displays products likely to be discontinued, such as the iPhone 15 Pro series and Apple Watch Series 9, but you can no longer purchase them. These products are expected to be replaced by new products, which will be available for preorder shortly.

Instead of a "Buy" button, you'll see this message: "Be right back. We're making updates to the Apple Store. Check back soon."

Read more
You now have another reason to use your Apple Watch’s ECG feature
ECG on the Apple Watch Series 7.

Most of us wear an Apple Watch to track our steps and respond to texts on the go, ignoring the more advanced features — but sometimes, those features could save your life. Rachel Manolo says the Apple Watch helped keep both her and her unborn child safe.

Manolo was around 18 weeks pregnant when her symptoms first started: a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, fatigue. After several weeks of this, she decided to use the ECG function on her Apple Watch. It gave her an inconclusive result, but she reported a heartbeat of more than 150 beats per minute (bpm) for more than 40 minutes.

Read more