Investigating Users’ Experiences and Attitudes Towards Mobile Apps’ Reviews

Abstract

One of the daily routines of the smartphone users is using the mobile applications. Individuals explore the app stores and select a potential app. The selection procedure is affected by the information that the app stores display for each app. Reviews of the apps are an important factor in making decisions to select an app. Likewise, Users experiences and attitudes are affected by the information that they read and see on the interface of apps’ reviews. In our study, we aim to investigate the users’ experiences and attitudes towards mobile apps’ reviews. To achieve our goal, we constructed a survey consists of statements divided into five categories to collect a variety of data about the users’ experience and attitude. The questionnaire’s categories were designed to generate data regarding users’ experiences and attitudes when selecting apps. Likewise, to investigate the criteria that users set to evaluate the apps’ quality. Moreover, participants were asked about their experiences with the comments section in the apps’ reviews. Also, investigating if there are complaints regarding the reviews’ comments. Furthermore, we investigated what users can know from the interface of the mobile apps reviews in the app stores. We had 102 participants in our survey. Our results showed that free apps, especially if there is a need for the app, have the most chance to be installed even with a lower rate. We also found that, besides the apps’ rating and download statistics, users tend to adapt self-judgment for determining the apps’ quality. Regarding the reviews’ comments, users wish there is a way to limit the length of the reviews. Users like the reviews that are short and specific. We found that the current interface design of the review needs revisions to help users to be aware of critical apps-related issues such as apps’ permissions.