Prarthito Maity email: p.maity@mobilenapps.com
Google is doing everything possible to make its Play Store more accessible for both users and developers.
Per reports, Google has started allowing top application developers in Google Play to reply directly to user comments via the Web interface.
This is a new development from Google after the company started making some changes and alterations to increase the usefulness of app reviews in the Google Play Store. The process kicked off last year with the company giving developers the opportunity to respond to several user comments, which would allow them to explain fallacies or address specific issues.
Google, later, started pushing its Google+ integration with the Play Store, and prompted users to leave behind their real names when posting such reviews.
However, the changes that have been made now are not only for top developers in the Play Store, but for anyone for anyone who has developed an app for the Google Play, although some reports state that the feature is only meant for well-established developers with high-traffic apps and not working for everyone. Nonetheless, the new feature also has further encouraged the communication between developers and users on Google Play.
"Just recently, our buddy Dave Kover (aka Kovdev) found that he has the ability to do the same, as well as other app developers that aren't considered 'huge'," a Droid Life report states. "This new features gives a direct line between consumers and developers, which is great for both parties."
The last time Google made such a huge change to its Play Store policies was when the company, back in November last year, integrated the Play Store with Google+. At that time, it was reported that all the app reviews were attributed to "A Google User."
Google was also expected to prompt users at some point to associate their reviews with their real names via their Google+ accounts, but back then it was not known as to when the company would do that.
"This forthcoming change does have the benefit of giving app reviews a bit of accountability, potentially turning them into more useful tools for evaluating the apps they discuss, but the privacy issues, as well as mixed feelings towards Google+ in general, could still make this a tough sell," a Pocketnow report stated.
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