Apple Removes Customer 'Ratings & Reviews' From Its Online Store

Apple removed the customer review section from its online store over the weekend, a report revealed. Now, buyers won't be able to see any ratings or reviews buyers give to Apple devices including the iPhone, iPad and MacBook.

According to one of Apple Insider's readers, Apple's online store page is now devoid of an buyer ratings and reviews. The removal, which the outlet believed to have happened over the course of the weekend, doesn't just apply to the U.S. online Apple Store – U.K. And Australian online Apple Stores don't have the buyer reviews section as well.

Those who want to see the changes can do so by looking at archived pages using the Wayback Machine. The Ratings & Reviews section was still present the page for the first-gen Apple Pencil in the online Apple Store on Nov. 16, Saturday. The following day, Nov. 17, it was nowhere to be found.

A quick look at some products in Apple's online store also reveals that the Ratings & Reviews section is gone. It's not in the iPhone 11 Pro page, It's not even present in the page for refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro.

Apple Insider noted that it's not clear as to why Apple did this. If the reviews section were removed from the U.S. stores only, it could've simply been a mistake. But the fact that it's also removed from online Apple Stores in other locations indicates that it was done on purpose. That purpose remains a mystery at the moment.

The Cupertino tech giant previously showed buyer reviews on the online stores, whether they were positive or negative. This showed that it had integrity and had nothing to hide from its loyal customers. The removal of the said section, however, might have some negative effects, possibly causing the company to have less credibility to its customers.

Several media outlets have reached out to Apple for clarification regarding the issue, but so far it hasn't responded yet. What's clear right now is that Apple device users won't be able to leave reviews and feedback regarding the devices, ultimately depriving potential buyers of helpful advice regarding what to buy from the online store.