Apple Intelligence: A Potential Fix for App Store Reviews

It’s well-known that Apple’s App Store has its share of issues, and one of the biggest problems is the reviews section. While the App Store functions reasonably well overall, the reviews often feel outdated and irrelevant.

Apple regularly showcases a handful of highlighted reviews for each app, but frustratingly, these reviews are often several years old. It’s not unusual to find complaints about problems that were resolved long ago. Seeing these outdated reviews can mislead potential users, making the review section less useful for understanding an app's current performance.

If you dig deeper into an app’s review section, you might notice that Apple categorizes reviews as “most helpful,” but what exactly qualifies as helpful? How can a review from years past provide relevant insights today? In my experience, when I browse apps on my Mac, I frequently come across reviews that no longer reflect the app's actual quality or functionality.

A Potential Gamechanger

However, it seems that a solution may be on the horizon: Apple is reportedly testing AI-generated summaries of reviews. This feature was recently highlighted in the iOS 18.4 beta, which developers can download. There’s no confirmation yet if this feature is available on macOS. Announced in late 2024, these AI summaries aim to compile past reviews into a concise summary displayed under the app's review score.

For example, an AI summary for the ChatGPT app stated: “Users say the app is helpful and convenient. They appreciate its ability to answer questions and its fast response times. They also praise its advanced voice mode.” This new feature could truly be a gamechanger, simplifying the process of evaluating an app without needing to sift through irrelevant reviews.

If the AI summarization works effectively, it could address my primary frustration with the App Store. A summary view would prevent outdated reviews from skewing your first impression of an app. Instead of focusing on what may be an irrelevant review, users would have immediate access to a snapshot of up-to-date feedback.

Not a Foolproof Solution

That said, it’s essential to temper expectations; this may not be an absolute solution. The accuracy of these AI-generated summaries will depend heavily on the capabilities of Apple Intelligence. Past attempts at summarization, like those with BBC News, have shown the potential for significant inaccuracies.

Moreover, we still lack clarity on how these summaries will function in practice. Will older reviews contribute to the summary at all? How does the AI determine which reviews to feature? My concern is that these summaries could inadvertently revive older complaints that no longer apply, leading to a misunderstanding of the app's current state.

Additionally, this AI summarization doesn’t solve other significant issues within the App Store. Users often find that search results are cluttered with unrelated apps or overly prioritized advertisements, complicating the search experience. The review process itself has also faced criticism for being inconsistent and overly strict, issues that AI summaries will not address.

Nonetheless, Apple’s move to incorporate AI into the review process could be seen as a step in the right direction. The need for improvement in App Store reviews is evident, and it’s encouraging that Apple is actively working on solutions. Only time will tell if the implementation of Apple Intelligence is the right way to resolve these ongoing problems.

Apple, AppStore, AI