Is there a procedure to report a buggy iOS app in the app store?

Question

I found an app on the iOS App Store available in both lite and paid version, but it has too many bugs. See the edit history for the name, but this is more about how I can get word back to Apple in general about bugs.

In this case, the app hangs and its GUI is not following Apple's HIG. I want to report to Apple about this app. Is there any standard procedure to do that?

Answer 1

The programmatic and direct feedback channels to Apple and the developer are as follows:

1. Report a problem from the purchase summary in iTunes on a computer. This also is useful if you wish to ask for a refund in the case where the app was paid and doesn't function in your judgement.
2. There is a general problem link in the store as well as a link to developer support. These are best for technical or minor bugs that don't ruin the app experience or if you expect it to get fixed and continue to use the app.
3. You can write a formal review that Apple may eventually publish detailing why you feel the app is buggy or non-confomant with design guidelines or rules.
4. You can rate the app in stars

Those three procedures are standard ways to provide feedback about buggy apps or problematic purchases. Deleting the app sends less formal feedback as your devices stop asking for updates to that title.

Answer 2

In the App store you have a link to the developer page where you can find contact information and submit a bug report

You can also review the application putting the problems in the comment

As far as I know Apple does not guarantee for the quality of the products offered in the store (quoting from the terms and conditions of the Apple Store)

YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE APP AND BOOK SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. THE APP AND BOOK SERVICES AND ALL PRODUCTS AND APP AND BOOK SERVICES DELIVERED TO YOU THROUGH THE APP AND BOOK SERVICES ARE (EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY STATED BY APPLE) PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" FOR YOUR USE, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NONINFRINGEMENT. BECAUSE SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, THE ABOVE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Answer 3

In general, please use the Support link for the developer of the problem app, which can be found on the iTunes page for that app. Most developers (not all though) are very happy to receive problem reports directly from customers, as this helps them more quickly fix bugs and update their apps, and improve the documentation on how to use their app.

Also look within the app for a support link or email address, as many apps have that built in to the app.

For the better developers, contacting them can potentially help improve the app for all their apps current customers.

Of course, final recourse, if the developer is not responsive, or can't fix the problem, is to report your problem to Apple. The contact info for this can be found in the email receipt from Apple iTunes for your purchase, as the "Report a Problem" link. Note, however, that Apple is rarely ever reported have removed merely buggy or ugly apps from their App store, unless the app violates user privacy, decency rules, trademark/IP laws, or worse. You might also want to read Apple's Terms and Conditions of Sale before purchasing any apps.