My app is getting reviews for old versions

My guess would be you got users that never installed the update to your app, and are still running an old version.

Just tryed to review Wordle App - which I have played but not installed the last version.
It was not possible: „download the last version!“ message (iOS - iPad)

Try the website.  It wouldn't surprise me if that was different.

1.2.1 was published on 13th June, but still get reviews of version 1.2:

jim_m_58 said:

Try the website.  It wouldn't surprise me if that was different.

Nope, not possible. (WIN Chrome)

It could also be reviews done on the Garmin itself.  There are reviews for 1.2 as well as 1.2.1 in the screen shot.

jim_m_58 said:

There are reviews for 1.2 as well as 1.2.1 in the screen shot.

I think everyone can see that and the text which accompanies the screenshot already pointed that out. Additionally, it’s inherent in the premise of this thread (“my app is getting reviews for old versions”).

Nobody is denying that it’s happening, they’re just saying they’re unable to review old versions in the CIQ app or website.

jim_m_58 said:

It could also be reviews done on the Garmin itself

Are you referring to the process where an app requests a review?

The docs claim that the store will validate that the user has the latest version.

https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/core-topics/requesting-reviews/

jim_m_58 said:

My guess would be you got users that never installed the update to your app, and are still running an old version.

But he literally already said that he’s unable to review an app if he doesn’t have the latest version

flocsy🤠 said:

How can this happen? When I try to write a review fir an app and I don't have the latest version deployed then it (Connect IQ android) doesn't let me, requests me to upgrade to the latest version (which makes sense). 

What was the timing of releasing versions 1.2 and 1.2.1? Were they released very close together? Even if they were not, is it possible that some people downloaded 1.2 while 1.2.1 was still pending (after 1.2.1 was released but before it was approved)? This seems like it could happen regardless of how much time passed between releasing 1.2 and 1.2.1. (Ofc the longer than period between the 2 versions, the less likely this is to happen, at least to users who already have the app installed and who regularly check for updates.) If you only ever see old reviews for the *previous* version, my theory would fit the facts.

Recently I saw a store bug where I released two versions of an app very close together (one day apart), and while the 2nd version was still pending, I updated to the 1st version. After this, I was unable to update to the 2nd version (even when it was finally approved / made visible) — the store acted like I already had the latest version, so it didn’t give me an update button or an update notification. IOW it was I had actually installed the 1st version (e.g. based on the app settings), but the store (kind of) behaved like the 2nd version was installed (I finally got out of this situation by uninstalling and reinstalling the app). I wonder if I would’ve been able to review the app in this case, and whether the review would’ve been associated with the 1st version.

[https://forums.garmin.com/developer/connect-iq/i/bug-reports/ciq-store-thinks-app-is-up-to-date-but-it-s-not-after-app-is-updated-while-a-newer-update-is-pending]

If you feel this situation might apply to you, you could always try to recreate it. The store seems to allow you to review your own apps lmao. I was able to leave a review for a beta app of mine (1 star - “terrible”) and I’m able to press the “write a review” button for a non-beta app (ofc I didn’t go as far as pressing the Publish Review button.) (But even if you couldn’t leave a review for your own app, you could always use a 2nd account, as long as you’re transparent about the fact that the app is not real, and neither is the review.)

Unfortunately you probably can’t recreate this problem with a beta app since beta apps are typically available instantaneously, so there won’t be a window of time where you can’t update to the latest version after releasing it.

So you’d probably have to publish some dummy app with a “do not download” disclaimer, upload 2 versions, and try to install the 1st version while the 2nd version is pending, such that the store incorrectly thinks you have the latest version (even once the 2nd version becomes visible to everyone). Then you could try to review it (an arbitrary amount of time later), see if the store even allows you review it and see if the review is associated with the 1st version. (I assume that once you have the 1st version installed in the broken state where the store thinks it’s the latest, it will be in that state indefinitely, perhaps until a 3rd version is released.)