What just happened? Apple's product listing page used to have a "Rating & Reviews" section where it did the usual job of letting prospective buyers know about consumer experiences with the company's hardware and accessories, beyond just their price or technical information. However, Apple silently removed that section over the weekend in a move that could hurt its credibility.

User reviews and opinions are part and parcel of most consumer items and generally reflect how a product fared in the market. Apple, which is well-known for its transparent approach towards leaving even the most negative opinions on its official online store, might have taken a step back after it silently took down its buyers' review section from its retail website.

AppleInsider, which first reported on this change, received a tip from a reader who noticed the missing section on Apple's online store. Given that the information was absent on Apple's website across multiple countries, the change was noted as intentional on Apple's part, rather than a mistake.

AppleInsider also did a comparison of the store through the Wayback Machine and found the removal to have occurred between November 16 and November 17.

While it could be a temporary change, eliminating customer reviews soon after the arrival of its 16-inch Macbook Pro is a bit odd, as many people might still choose to go to Apple's official online store to see how the laptop is faring, instead of watching YouTube videos or going through third-party review websites.