Suggest AppWorld Improvements

**kennyliu** · 01-24-2012, 06:55 PM

One of the recent threads made me think about improvements that we may want to be introduced to AppWorld. I think AppWorld on the Playbook in its present form is very limited. So I I decided to go ahead and create a new thread to compile all your suggestions with the hopes that someone at RIM actually reads this forum and some of our suggestions will be noted and possibly implemented.

So, please, let us know what you think needs to be changed about AppWorld.

Here are a few suggestions that already have been proposed:

User review sorting options (most helpful, most commented, chronological, etc.) (thanks to daviwu). Larger font for reviews (thanks to peterallcdn)
More objective top lists. It is unclear how certain apps make it to the top list. Is it the number of downloads? Rating? Or what RIM thinks should be on the top?
Top lists by category, Top Paid, Top Free, Top New, Top Rated, Trending Now (thanks to crack_me_silly), etc.
Greater number of apps shown in the Top Lists. Currently, the number of shown apps is very limited (25 items). "Show More" button at the bottom of every Top List (thanks to koolrosh)
Restrictions on when the developer can remove negative feedback. Possibly, inability to remove the rating (stars) while removing the review text. (thanks to F2 and ITR Themes). Allow developers to add comments on reviews instead of deleting them (thanks to jslawell).
Some sort of a trial period for apps and/or brief videos (app-trailer) of an app in action (thanks to cbvinh and peterallcdn). Require a greater number and higher resolution / zoomable screenshots of an app (thanks to ravageur1972 and shn).
Sorting of apps into BB10/QNX and BB7,6,5 apps. I really don't want to see apps that will not run on the Playbook.
Similar app suggestions and a list of apps by the same developer.
Comments on reviews for people to help each other sort out problems with an app.
Ability to edit a review that was posted in the past (e.g. after learning the app better) (thanks to koolrosh).
E-books should not be classified as apps but should be a separate non-app ("e-books"?) category.
Ability to delete apps from the list of uninstalled apps.
Staff picks or editor recommended apps. Community/People's Choice apps (thanks to shn).
Gifting/transferring apps (thanks to r0v3rT3N).
Search/sort by developer (thanks to farhan032).
Search box auto-complete/auto-suggest (or "instant search"?) (thanks to cajualaddict).
Mark installed apps as "Installed" or "Launch" in all lists/search results (thanks to Toodeurep). Or remove them from lists/search results (thanks to jslawell).
"Others who bought this app also bought..." feature (thanks to Snoman002).
Simplify categories. No category sub-menus (thanks to Snoman002). Show number of apps under each category (thanks to ravageur1972)
Bundles (by same developer?). E.g. buy a GPS navigation app get GPS status app for a discount (thanks to Snoman002).
Ability to Bookmark apps (thanks to Flexin) or "Wish List" (thanks to peterallcdn). Ability to hide (unwanted) apps from search results and lists (thanks to jslawell).
Separate categories for Android apps and beta apps (thanks to ody360)
A set area for changes/updates/update logs (thanks to ody360).
Faster system update to prevent discrepancies between the quoted price and the actual price at checkout (thanks to livejam).
Improve search engine to give you results even if app name is misspelled or suggest similar apps instead of giving zero results (thanks to nhlsens). Search for app names both based on individual words in the search entry and combination of the words (Boolean search? e.g. Free + Text or "Free Text") (thanks to bbpandy).
The Uninstalled Apps list should be device-specific: Uninstalled Phone Apps vs Uninstalled Playbook Apps (thanks to bbpandy and Oniberry).
Alternative payment methods for those who don't have or choose not to use credit cards or PayPal. E.g. prepaid/reloadable gift cards sold at major retail/convenience stores (thanks to diruocco).
An "Update All" button that lets you update all the apps without having to individually update each app (thanks to koolrosh).
Possibility to install or upgrade an app without any screen change (Instead use an Installation Progress Bar) (thanks to ravageur1972).
App Price Watch feature with automatic notification if the price goes down or below a set level (thanks to peterallcdn).
Speed up the UI (loading and navigation) of App World (thanks to peterallcdn).
Ability to access App World while Bridged (thanks to NightFire).
Ability to narrow down search results (show only with rating 4 stars and above, free, price less than $2, new, etc) (thanks to b121) and/or ability to sort search results (relevance, price, rating, etc.) (active search refinement?)
Ability to exit App World without interrupting the installation process. As reported by mervinking, doing so results in a system freeze.
Fully functional online version of App World with ability to review (pictures and app-trailers) an app and purchase it so that it's later pushed to the Playbook (thanks to kunamvahees).

**r0v3rT3N** · 01-24-2012, 07:00 PM

Gifting apps would be nice...

**farhan032** · 01-24-2012, 07:20 PM

Ablity to sort search / sort apps by a particular Developer would be most helpful .

Example - pub:Research In Motion & 'View More' apps by same developer

**cajualaddict** · 01-24-2012, 07:36 PM

I don't know the computer term but:

When searching for apps, I want it to search and finish words on the fly to find apps

ex:
an|
angry
anger
...etc...
hope this makes sense

**Toodeurep** · 01-24-2012, 07:49 PM

+1 on all of the above! Am I missing something? Because I would like the apps I have installed to be marked that I have them already.

**Snoman002** · 01-24-2012, 07:56 PM

No sub menus, click a category and get to apps. From there the ability to filter on-the-fly.

Predictive search, none of this exact match only

"Others who bought this app also bought..." feature.

Bundles, buy a GPS navigation app get GPS status app for a discount, etc.

**jslawell** · 01-24-2012, 08:02 PM

Allow dev to add comments on reviews instead of delete them.

For apps I've already purchase/installed, don't show them on the featured lists.

**Flexin** · 01-24-2012, 08:32 PM

I would like to have a reminder or a marker. There might be an app I'm interested in but I'm still not sure if i will buy it or not. I would like to be able to click a box so I can find it later with out a problem.

James

**kennyliu** · 01-24-2012, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Flexin

I would like to have a reminder or a marker. There might be an app I'm interested in but I'm still not sure if i will buy it or not. I would like to be able to click a box so I can find it later with out a problem.

James

Are you referring to "bookmarking" of apps?

**Flexin** · 01-24-2012, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by kennyliu

Are you referring to "bookmarking" of apps?

Yes.

James

**diego.roscetti** · 01-24-2012, 09:37 PM

They need to separate the e-books on the newest apps. It seems like 95 percent on that page are e-books.

**kennyliu** · 01-24-2012, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by diego.roscetti

They need to separate the e-books on the newest apps. It seems like 95 percent on that page are e-books.

Thanks. It's already in the list.

**ody360** · 01-24-2012, 09:48 PM

A distinction between Android and Native apps, a set area for changes/updates, a beta section for beta apps!

**livejam** · 01-24-2012, 10:02 PM

Fix the delay in displayed price and the price that shows up on confirmation screen. This shouldn't happen since it discourages purchases.

**Boight** · 01-25-2012, 08:59 AM

1) In "My World" the price I paid for the app or free. I hesitate to delete useless apps and end up going back into Appworld to see if I paid for them or not.

2) a Fix to the Appworld servers not available when purchasing or just acquiring a free app. It always works the second time a minute later. I searched this and there's pages of threads but I couldn't find a fix.

**Hgouck** · 02-07-2012, 03:35 PM

There should be a way to permanently delete an uninstalled app. You delete from your device. Than in App World under uninstalled you can delete it permanently so it doesn't show up again. Would really clean it up.
Also which ever BB device you are on only show Apps that will work for that device. Both for purchasing and My World.

**kennyliu** · 02-07-2012, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by Hgouck

There should be a way to permanently delete an uninstalled app. You delete from your device. Than in App World under uninstalled you can delete it permanently so it doesn't show up again. Would really clean it up.
Also which ever BB device you are on only show Apps that will work for that device. Both for purchasing and My World.

Thanks, but these are already in the list.

**Hgouck** · 02-07-2012, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by kennyliu

Thanks, but these are already in the list.

Sorry I missed it. Great minds think a like.

**nhlsens** · 02-07-2012, 04:15 PM

I think by far the biggest problem for app world is the search engine. If they were to fix the algorithm to give correct and more accurate results, they would get more downloads per day and there would then be more apps submitted. when someone mispells an app name, zero results show up whereas android market would still show the correct app even mispelled. In addition, if the app doesnt exist, similar functioning apps should show up in the results. This is the primary reason why all the critics thought the playbook had only hundreds of apps at launch when it had a lot more. I should be able to search "playbook" and every playbook app should show up, not just the ones with "playbook" in the title.

**rickgainsmith** · 02-07-2012, 04:22 PM

http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...6/#post7091593

I don't want to re type it all. :-).

**BBPandy** · 02-07-2012, 04:22 PM

Nice Thread.

I was coming here to create one just like it. I hope someone from RIM reads this, becuase they REALLY need to improve their App Store.

**BBPandy** · 02-07-2012, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by Hgouck

There should be a way to permanently delete an uninstalled app. You delete from your device. Than in App World under uninstalled you can delete it permanently so it doesn't show up again. Would really clean it up.
Also which ever BB device you are on only show Apps that will work for that device. Both for purchasing and My World.

I agree.
I would like to add to that though. The ability to sort your uninstalled Apps. They should have "Uninstalled Apps for your device", and then "Other uninstalled Apps" & maybe just for fun...."All Uninstalled Apps"

**Wbrian** · 02-07-2012, 04:58 PM

How about a free-trial option?

**BBPandy** · 02-07-2012, 05:06 PM

Just thought of something else. Someone suggested an app called text Free when I search for it in App world it search for both the word Text and Free They should have it so if you put "Text Free" it searches for apps that match that string of words, not apps that have one of the words.

**kennyliu** · 02-07-2012, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by nhlsens

I think by far the biggest problem for app world is the search engine. If they were to fix the algorithm to give correct and more accurate results, they would get more downloads per day and there would then be more apps submitted. when someone mispells an app name, zero results show up whereas android market would still show the correct app even mispelled. In addition, if the app doesnt exist, similar functioning apps should show up in the results. This is the primary reason why all the critics thought the playbook had only hundreds of apps at launch when it had a lot more. I should be able to search "playbook" and every playbook app should show up, not just the ones with "playbook" in the title.

Thanks. Added to the list.