Skip to main content

Apple puts a stop to app reviews left by anyone with a device running iOS 9 beta

iOS 9 suggestions
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Apple has removed the ability to leave app reviews from those with phones running beta versions of iOS. It’s intended to minimize the amount of negative reviews left due to an app running poorly on beta software, something developers can do little about. In the attempt to leave a review from a phone running a beta version of iOS 9 — or any future publicly available revision, presumably — a pop-up message appears that reads “This feature isn’t available.”

However, while this will stop negative reviews being left on apps solely due to issues related to running an unreleased version of the phone OS, it’s not the end of the problem. While a written review can’t be left, a star rating can still be given to an app, meaning negative opinions can still be voiced.

Apple has been forced to address the problem due to the release of iOS 9 as a beta piece of software to the public. Anyone who wants to can download and install Apple’s next revision of the OS, before it’s officially finished and ready for public use. Although interesting and fun, it’s an unfinished, and therefore unstable operating system that most apps are not configured for, resulting in crashes, glitches, and poor performance.

The alteration has been made in both iOS 9 Beta 3 and iOS 9 Beta 4, but not in the developer-only iOS 8.4.1 version, suggesting Apple is primarily addressing the general public with the change. Whether it’s a work in progress, and the star rating option will also be removed in the future, remains to be seen.

If you’re interested in trying out iOS 9 — before it’s officially released in September — you can check out our guide here for instructions on how to download it. We’ve already been using the software (but haven’t left any negative app reviews) since it was released, and you can read our comprehensive hands-on here.

Editors' Recommendations

Andre Revilla
Andre Revilla is an entrepreneur and writer from Austin, TX that has been working in and covering the consumer tech space for…
iOS 18 could make my iPhone look like Android, and I hate it
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's rear panels.

If rumors are to be believed, iOS 18 will allow you to customize the home screen on your iPhone more substantially than ever before. This feature will be familiar to Android phone owners, but I don’t want my iPhone to look like an Android phone.

It’s a weird double-edged sword, as by giving you more freedom to make the home screen look unique, iOS may also lose what makes it unique compared to the less constrained world of Android.
iOS 18 and your iPhone home screen

Read more
iOS 18 could add a customization feature I’ve waited years for
iOS 17 interactive widgets on an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

iOS 18 is coming later this year, and all signs point to it being a dramatic iPhone update. Now, thanks to one new report, it looks like iOS 18 could add a customization feature I've been waiting years and years and years for: better home screen customization.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, iOS 18 will introduce a "more customizable" home screen. More specifically, iOS 18 will allow you to place app icons and widgets anywhere you want. If you want a space or break between an app icon or your widget, welcome to the future: iOS 18 may finally let you do that. MacRumors corroborated this report with its own sources, too.

Read more
I found 16 new widgets for iOS 17 that you have to try
A selection of widgets on an iPhone home screen.

Widgets have long been a popular feature on iPhones. Since the release of iOS 17, they have become more interactive, providing a more engaging experience. Interactive widgets allow you to perform important actions from your iPhone's home screen. For example, you can complete your to-do lists, play and pause media and podcasts, control your smart home devices, and much more — all without opening any apps.

Interactive widgets are not limited to Apple's built-in apps on iOS 17. Third-party developers are also adopting this new feature. Although not all apps offer interactive widgets, there are plenty that do. Here are a few interactive widgets that are worth exploring.
Calculator 17

Read more