Google is changing Android app rating system: What’s new, from when and more – Times of India

Google is changing the Android apps rating system on its Play Store. The company announced the same in a blog post. The aim of the new Android app rating system, as per the company, is to make ratings more personalised based on the country and the form factor of the device. Here’s all that’s new, from when and more:
It’s end of Google universal app rating system
The new Android app rating system means the end of the universal app rating system that Google currently follows. The existing universal app rating system will be replaced by a more customised rating system aimed to help users and developers get more insightful information about a particular app.
App ratings on to be localised based on the country
One of the key parameters for the new Android app rating system will depend on the country or region that the Android device is registered in. This means that people based in India will see app ratings generated by reviews posted by Indian users. This will help users get a better perspective of the app and how well it works in a particular region.
App ratings to be based on the device form factor
Android apps on Google Play Store are used on different types of devices like Chromebook laptops, foldable smartphones, tablets, etc. Currently, the rating shown is independent of the form factor that a person is using the app on. Google is changing this, users will now see the ratings based on their device type. For instance, a tablet user will be able to see the rating of the app posted by tablet users only. This will help users decide how the app works on the device they are using.
This new feature will benefit developers as well. As specific ratings for apps will allow developers to find the issues and bugs that matter and fix them. Google too will benefit with this as it will eventually help with the quality of apps on Play Store.
From when will these changes come into effect
The changes will come into effect starting November 2021. Post this, Play Store will start showing region-wise Android app ratings to users.
Why Google is bringing these changes
The simple answer is to improve the overall user experience and quality of apps. Google has mentioned in its blog post that the localising app rating based on the country and device type will bring more insightful information for users as well as developers.
For instance, a particular bug affecting a certain country affects the app’s rating across the globe. This can also help developers to know an issue while using the app on a tablet, which is usually ignored because of the over crowded ratings and comments from smartphone users.
Specific ratings for apps will allow developers to find the issues and bugs that matter and fix them to improve their app.