Google will adjust the way app ratings are linked to specific markets and user devices

On August 24, Google announced on Monday local time that it will change the way its app store Play Store calculates and displays app ratings, making app ratings more relevant to the developer market and more beneficial to users.

It is reported that compared with the fixed rating of applications, Google Play will give applications multiple ratings based on different markets and different devices used by users. This means that the screen sizes of devices used by users to browse the Google Play Store are different, and the ratings displayed for the same application are also different.

This change could be beneficial. For one thing, not all apps offer the same functionality in all markets, and an app developer wouldn’t want to see their app’s ratings suffer because they can’t activate payment in a particular market. Another, more important reason: some apps are only suitable for larger tablets or foldable devices, and some apps have problems running on Android devices other than phones. So device-specific ratings for apps mean that when users download an app on a tablet, they’ll know in advance that it won’t work as well as on a phone.

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Google plans to launch app-specific ratings for different markets in November this year, and different ratings for different types of devices such as tablets, foldable devices, Chrome OS, Wear OS or Android Auto in 2022. If Google's new way of calculating ratings will change the ratings of existing apps, the company will notify developers in advance.

Google said, "Before adjusting the Google Play Store rating method, we will automatically analyze the rating changes of the application at least 10 weeks in advance. If the rating adjustment of your application is greater than 0.2 stars, we will notify you in time. This way, you have enough time to modify the application."

Considering the increasing popularity of foldable devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 or Z Flip 3, Google's adjustments should help both users and developers. After all, not all apps can be adapted to foldable phones, and if they are not adjusted, users of these devices are likely to give bad reviews due to poor user experience.