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Sort of off-topic and I've harped on this before, but when I search "google maps" in the app store, it's the fifth search result! As a developer in the App Sto

Sort of off-topic and I've harped on this before, but when I search "google maps" in the app store, it's the fifth search result! As a developer in the App Store, I really hope they do something to fix the abysmal searches in it.

hiddenstage 14y ago
Maybe Google will come to the rescue.
- darrenkopp 14y ago
  Their search on the Google Play store isn't that great, though they now have a feature where what they auto-suggest when typing your query is usually what you want (for larger apps like netflix, ebay, etc)
  - megablast 14y ago
    The search of Google Play store is atrocious, much worse than this.
    - rieter 14y ago
      I never had any serious issues with it.
      - jlgreco 14y ago
        The only problem I have is when I search for something that isn't there. Happens sometimes that what I want simply doesn't exist in their store (like, for example, VLC), and when that happens all of the near-hits come up. If I am thinking about it, that is the correct behavior, but it still strikes me as strange every time it happens. I think the reason for this is that I have become spoiled by usually only searching on the web, and when I search on the web it is very rare that I don't get any desirable results at all. Google's web search has spoiled me.
walru 14y ago
As a developer I couldn't agree more.. the App Store is currently an unmitigated mess.
- pkamb 14y ago
  The best is the Keywords field that cannot be longer than "100 bytes", doesn't validate your character count until you submit the from, is unclear about comma/space separated values, and disregards pluralization.
dkokelley 14y ago
My best results for search appear when the App Store auto suggests terms that others have entered. So "docs to..." suggests "Documents to Go(r) by DataViz" or something of the sort. I think that Apple could learn a thing or two from Google's search-intent capabilities.
wes-exp 14y ago
Agreed! This happens with my own app as well! Apparently the app title, even when an exact match to your search query, is no longer considered important. If there is one thing Apple truly fails at, it is search.
- eco 14y ago
  The Android Market had this same problem in the early days. It was frustrating but pretty amusing how terrible Google, of all companies, was at getting search right in their app store.
  - wahsd 14y ago
    Granted, but, seriously, Apple has never even feigned search-fu and MS/Bing has a better chance of making search even a competition. On a side note, and this might titillate you; I am seeing serious cracks in Google's search skills as their other assets lack search or it is rather clunky. Now if Bing just didn't suck so bad, there might even be a challenger.
  - zrgiu_ 14y ago
    still does. Try searching for something relevant, see where an app with that exact name is placed. Example: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=child+books&c=apps The app named "Child Books" comes after coloring book, Nook, WebMD and many others. It's just that popularity matters MUCH much more than what you actually search for, and it takes days from the moment of getting popular (Google Maps style) to the moment when the algorithms start noticing.
    - css771 14y ago
      A better way to search for an app called "child books" would be to use quotes around it.[1] But I agree, Google Play's search can still be improved. Currently a search for GTA vice city [2] places the actual game in third place behind other related apps. These apps are The important thing to note is that both these apps have 100,000+ downloads while the game is <50,000 right now. So the number of downloads is given a higher weight than name (as it should be.) But the actual game should get a better rank than other things. As time goes on and more sites link to the game and more people download it, this will improve. [1]: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=%22child+books%22&c=apps https://play.google.com/store/search?q=%22child+books%22&#38... [2]: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=gta+vice+city&c=apps https://play.google.com/store/search?q=gta+vice+city&c=a...
coob 14y ago
I think this happens due to the way the App Store time-weights many metrics. expect it to be top tomorrow.
- neilc 14y ago
  That makes sense, but it makes for pretty terrible UX for major app launches like this one.
ivankirigin 14y ago
It isn't off topic to point out that Apple isn't as good at search as Google. Relevant to both maps and app stores.
ibrahima 14y ago
I remember when Android's market had a similarly terrible search for years, which I thought was funnier considering it was Google and all (although I think their usual algorithms don't work nearly as well for apps that don't really have natural links).
seanp2k2 14y ago
I noticed this too and was annoyed by it.
nikcub 14y ago
If only they partnered with a company that was really good at search and maps and could fill in the parts that Apple isn't good at ..
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- BryantD 14y ago
  And Apple could monopolize the areas that company wasn't good at yet, like smartphone OSes!

hiddenstage 14y ago

Maybe Google will come to the rescue.

darrenkopp 14y ago
Their search on the Google Play store isn't that great, though they now have a feature where what they auto-suggest when typing your query is usually what you want (for larger apps like netflix, ebay, etc)
- megablast 14y ago
  The search of Google Play store is atrocious, much worse than this.
  - rieter 14y ago
    I never had any serious issues with it.
    - jlgreco 14y ago
      The only problem I have is when I search for something that isn't there. Happens sometimes that what I want simply doesn't exist in their store (like, for example, VLC), and when that happens all of the near-hits come up. If I am thinking about it, that is the correct behavior, but it still strikes me as strange every time it happens. I think the reason for this is that I have become spoiled by usually only searching on the web, and when I search on the web it is very rare that I don't get any desirable results at all. Google's web search has spoiled me.

walru 14y ago

As a developer I couldn't agree more.. the App Store is currently an unmitigated mess.

pkamb 14y ago
The best is the Keywords field that cannot be longer than "100 bytes", doesn't validate your character count until you submit the from, is unclear about comma/space separated values, and disregards pluralization.

dkokelley 14y ago

My best results for search appear when the App Store auto suggests terms that others have entered. So "docs to..." suggests "Documents to Go(r) by DataViz" or something of the sort. I think that Apple could learn a thing or two from Google's search-intent capabilities.

wes-exp 14y ago

Agreed! This happens with my own app as well! Apparently the app title, even when an exact match to your search query, is no longer considered important. If there is one thing Apple truly fails at, it is search.

eco 14y ago
The Android Market had this same problem in the early days. It was frustrating but pretty amusing how terrible Google, of all companies, was at getting search right in their app store.
- wahsd 14y ago
  Granted, but, seriously, Apple has never even feigned search-fu and MS/Bing has a better chance of making search even a competition. On a side note, and this might titillate you; I am seeing serious cracks in Google's search skills as their other assets lack search or it is rather clunky. Now if Bing just didn't suck so bad, there might even be a challenger.
- zrgiu_ 14y ago
  still does. Try searching for something relevant, see where an app with that exact name is placed. Example: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=child+books&c=apps The app named "Child Books" comes after coloring book, Nook, WebMD and many others. It's just that popularity matters MUCH much more than what you actually search for, and it takes days from the moment of getting popular (Google Maps style) to the moment when the algorithms start noticing.
  - css771 14y ago
    A better way to search for an app called "child books" would be to use quotes around it.[1] But I agree, Google Play's search can still be improved. Currently a search for GTA vice city [2] places the actual game in third place behind other related apps. These apps are The important thing to note is that both these apps have 100,000+ downloads while the game is <50,000 right now. So the number of downloads is given a higher weight than name (as it should be.) But the actual game should get a better rank than other things. As time goes on and more sites link to the game and more people download it, this will improve. [1]: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=%22child+books%22&c=apps https://play.google.com/store/search?q=%22child+books%22&#38... [2]: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=gta+vice+city&c=apps https://play.google.com/store/search?q=gta+vice+city&c=a...

coob 14y ago

I think this happens due to the way the App Store time-weights many metrics. expect it to be top tomorrow.

neilc 14y ago
That makes sense, but it makes for pretty terrible UX for major app launches like this one.

ivankirigin 14y ago

It isn't off topic to point out that Apple isn't as good at search as Google. Relevant to both maps and app stores.

ibrahima 14y ago

I remember when Android's market had a similarly terrible search for years, which I thought was funnier considering it was Google and all (although I think their usual algorithms don't work nearly as well for apps that don't really have natural links).

seanp2k2 14y ago

I noticed this too and was annoyed by it.

nikcub 14y ago

If only they partnered with a company that was really good at search and maps and could fill in the parts that Apple isn't good at ..

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
BryantD 14y ago
And Apple could monopolize the areas that company wasn't good at yet, like smartphone OSes!