iOS 10.3 promises to limit review pop-ups, add floating one-handed keyboard on iPad

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Apple's iOS 10.3 update, now in beta, will eventually limit how often an app can harass users about leaving a review -- and might also include a floating keyboard for smaller iPads, early adopters noted on Tuesday.


Source: Steven Troughton-Smith via Twitter


The update includes a new Reviews API that will limit pop-ups to three times per year, and give people the ability to turn off such pop-ups entirely, according to Recode. Users will also be able to submit reviews without leaving a host app.

The API will only eventually become the single way for developers to ask for reviews, presumably giving them time to strip out their existing systems.

Some iOS apps have become notoriously aggressive, popping up frequent messages regardless of how often a person dismisses them. For developers, better ratings on the App Store can increase exposure and hence sales or ad revenue.

The floating keyboard, noticed by developer Steve Troughton-Smith, is hidden from the public and must currently be enabled through code settings. It also appears to be limited to 7.9- or 9.7-inch iPads, and in finished form may ask people to flip a toggle located under the same menu as languages and emoji.

The keyboard is iPhone-sized, and can be dragged around much like Picture in Picture video windows. Together these suggest that the option is meant to offer easier one-handed typing.

Released earlier on Tuesday, iOS 10.3 also upgrades devices to the Apple File System -- APFS -- and includes a Find My AirPods app, addressing the complaints of some AirPods owners.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    JosephAUjosephau Posts: 43member
    How about Apple stop reminding us every single day to update iOS.
    Yes, I know they have security updates and bug fixes but still no means no.
    dysamoria
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 8
    TwoCyberstwocybers Posts: 1member
    My approach is simple - I respond to every request for a rating -- with a single star and say the product sucks. 

    I really hate being pushed to review products.  I may not be the smartest person, but I do know how to find and use the Apple review system.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 8
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    TwoCybers said:
    My approach is simple - I respond to every request for a rating -- with a single star and say the product sucks. 

    I really hate being pushed to review products.  I may not be the smartest person, but I do know how to find and use the Apple review system.
    That's entirely unhelpful to everyone.
    SpamSandwichdamn_its_hot
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 8
    linkmanlinkman Posts: 1,063member
    It would be nice if this sort of thing would apply to Safari. With a few websites I'm plagued with a "do you want to resubmit this form again" or "do you want to leave this page" several times before I can leave it. Presumably the largest source of this is advertising.

    Have they fixed it where you can close a tab when a javascript dialog is open? That sort of problem seems to affect Safari on MacOS also and I had heard rumors that it would be addressed.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 8
    wwchriswwchris Posts: 60member
    I don't understand how Apple has not introduced a smaller keyboard for the plus model phones that can be pushed to the left or right hand side so that you can type with a single hand/thumb.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 8
    SpamSandwichspamsandwich Posts: 33,407member
    TwoCybers said:
    My approach is simple - I respond to every request for a rating -- with a single star and say the product sucks. 

    I really hate being pushed to review products.  I may not be the smartest person, but I do know how to find and use the Apple review system.
    Maybe you should just stop using whichever app(s) you so dislike instead?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 8
    brakkenbrakken Posts: 687member
    How about a link to AFS? Where is Dilger?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 8
    damn_its_hotdamn_its_hot Posts: 1,213member
    TwoCybers said:
    My approach is simple - I respond to every request for a rating -- with a single star and say the product sucks. 

    I really hate being pushed to review products.  I may not be the smartest person, but I do know how to find and use the Apple review system.

    Seems like a knee-jerk reaction; I too hate being pestered for a review. I think a better system could be worked out.

    Since it is potentially a revenue enhancement tool maybe those marketing folx looking for feedback should consider some in-kind type of reward e.g., turn off ads for a day or two if user provides a review, or unlock some 'power-feature' after providing a review or user is entered in weekly drawing for some type of IAP. (Some of these examples are difficult to do in the App Store and some could not be done at all unless supported via an API provided by Apple).

    Of course this reward system needs to be for all reviews not just favorable ones.

    IMHO an 'opt-out' system should be supported as a bare minimum and from users POV it would be better if it was 'opt-in'.
    edited January 2017
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