Google replaces an amazing Play Store feature with a disappointing alternative

User reviews on the Play Store can be helpful in different situations, ranging from troubleshooting issues to deciding whether an app is worth installing. Google is now rolling out a new update that’s changing how you can navigate through the reviews, and you may not like the changes.

You can now search in Google Play Store reviews

Google is adding a keyword search feature for app reviews on the Play Store, according to an Android Authority report. The feature is now live for many users and allows you to search through the users reviews of every app.



The feature is available after tapping the magnifying lens icon right below the reviews summary in the Reviews and ratings section. You can also access the option when tapping the ratings at the top of any app page and then tapping the “See all reviews” button.

You can’t filter reviews by device anymore

As the saying goes, Google giveth and Google taketh away. With the introduction of the new search feature, the company removed the option to filter user reviews from people using the same phone.

Previously, Google had an option to filter reviews from “This device model,” but now you can only check reviews from the latest version of the app. You can still choose to sort reviews by the most relevant or the most recent, but Android Authority reports that the device filter is now gone.

Questionable tradeoff

Searching through user reviews could help you find specific details about an app, which makes it a very useful feature. However, removing the ability to only see feedback from people with the same device is a big loss because few people write down what device they use when leaving a review.



That could be especially important for people with cheaper or older devices. Sometimes reading recent reviews from people with the same phone could help you know whether the app would work well or not.

Apple’s App Store doesn’t have a search function and only has four sorting options. They are based on recency, the score, and an algorithmic evaluation of helpfulness.

Unnecessary replacement

Google still offers much better navigation through the Play Store reviews than Apple’s App Store, but I don’t understand why it’s switching the features. Combining the device filter with search could be the most helpful way to navigate user reviews and find useful information.