App Store ratings ‘broken’ as your 4-star review could hurt a developer

Developers say Apple’s App Store rating system encourages intrusive review prompts and pushes users into annoying popups.

The current setup appears to reward mostly 5-star feedback, making 4-star ratings effectively harmful rather than neutral.

Some argue Apple should replace star ratings with a simpler thumbs up/down system for clearer, less frustrating feedback.

Because App Store ratings affect discovery and downloads, any distortion in the system can directly shape developer success.