New App Update Reminder Service

A new service has been launched which will allow you to subscribe to information about updates to Apps.

This is aimed mainly at people who have read a review and thought… “This sounds great but, if only…” It’s for those Apps that nearly do (or did) what you wanted but were missing a feature that you really need, or have a quirk that you really don’t like.

At the moment, if you download an App then, you will be notified through your App Store App, and iTunes, that an update is available. You will, however, not be notified that there has been an update to an App that you have not downloaded (not surprising really).

All you need do to subscribe (and of course, there is absolutely no cost) to the service is to choose one of these options:

1.         The best way is to write a comment on a review of an App that interests you, of the type “I would get this if it only…” Then, having submitted your comment, just subscribe to comments. This has the double benefit of not only keeping you informed but also letting the developer know of your requirements. Developers tend to read about their own product(s) on the blog, whereas your comments will not get to them through iTunes as you need to have downloaded the App already (and you’re not doing that because it doesn’t meet your requirements); vicious circle neatly broken.

2.         You will notice, towards the top right-hand side of the page ‘Subscribe To’ and underneath ‘All Comments’. Click on the title of the post (xxx – App review) and the text will change to ‘Comments’. Choose your favourite method of delivery and you will be kept updated.

3.         Click on ‘Links to this post’ at the end of any review that interests you. Then click on ‘Post Comments (Atom)’ and choose your preferred method of delivery.

4.         Similar to ‘2.’Towards the top right-hand side of the page you will see ‘Subscribe To’ and underneath ‘All Comments’. If you choose this (and you are on the home page of the blog), you will receive notification of all comments on all posts. I would not recommend this unless you really want to receive comments and very many update notification on all sorts of Apps; your call.

And while writing this, a quick word to developers… if you issue an update and only state ‘bug fix’ as the ‘improvement’, you are unlikely to gain new customers.