Apple sends push notification advertising Emmy nominations

AppleInsider · July 15, 2021 3:21AM

Apple is once again teetering on the brink of abusing its own iOS push notification mechanism for advertising purposes, with a pop-up on Wednesday promoting Apple TV+.

On Tuesday, Apple issued a press release touting its 35 Emmy Award nominations, most of which are counted among an impressive haul for comedy series "Ted Lasso."

A day later, a push notification from the Apple TV app appeared on the iPhones and iPads, urging users, including existing subscribers, to "see why Ted Lasso and more Apple Originals are up for awards."

Tapping on the notification opens to the Apple TV+ Originals section of the TV app, which is festooned with promotional artwork that now incorporates Emmy Awards information. "Ted Lasso" is, of course, featured prominently in the section's top show card carousel, a larger carousel farther down the page and in a permanent interactive section that includes clips from season two.

A notification from Apple was once a rarity and as such was something worth observing. That began to change in 2018 when the company started to push promotions for iPhone upgrades, new Apple Music content, and, quizzically, Apple Music's then-new compatibility with Amazon Echo devices.

Now, Apple Music uses the system to recommend new music, while Apple TV+ advertises new shows and premieres. When iPhone refresh season arrives, the company will likely spit out messages to spur upgrades through the iPhone Upgrade Program or perhaps announce the device itself. The notifications are now routine, something to be expected, but for some users, today's feels particularly intrusive.

Section 4.5.3 of Apple's App Store Guidelines prohibits developers from using Apple Services to "spam, phish, or send unsolicited messages to customers, including Game Center, Push Notifications, etc." The following section says, "Push Notifications should not be used for promotions or direct marketing purposes unless customers have explicitly opted in to receive them via consent language displayed in your app's UI, and you provide a method in your app for a user to opt out from receiving such messages."

Users can disable notifications in Apple TV settings, and on a granular basis for categories "Up Next," "New Features" and "Featured Sports." Where a message like "Apple TV+ earns 34 Emmy Nominations" falls within those parameters is less clear.

In its privacy notice, the Apple TV app says, "Apple may also use information about your activity within the Apple TV app to send you emails and push notifications about new features, content, and offers available in the Apple TV app."

Today's message is not surfacing new content to consume, announcing a new feature or informing users of an important system alert. It is, in effect, Apple tooting its own horn.

Coincidentally, one of Apple's early installments of what would become a regimented push notification schedule promoted a Carpool Karaoke episode featuring Jason Sudeikis, future star of "Ted Lasso."

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caskey · July 15, 2021 5:42AM

This is a non-story. I get notifications like this from Netflix and Prime Video and all those other apps. This is not an abuse of power. It’s an app notification…and a rare one at that compared to other apps in the same category. Let’s not light our hair on fire over everything.

Japhey · July 15, 2021 6:37AM

Ted Lasso is Tim Cook’s favorite show.

/S

KBuffett · July 15, 2021 7:30AM

Nonsense article.

notwichred · July 15, 2021 10:18AM

Ridiculous article. And how many people get these anyway? I’ve never seen one.

The only pop up I got about Apple emmy nominations was from Apple insider.

GeorgeBMac · July 15, 2021 12:10PM

Thank you ai!

That was well said and true!

When I got the notification I thought: "This is inappropriate" -- but you expressed that feeling much better and objectively.

In addition, a while back Apple made a big deal out of trying to contain and restrict the intrusion of smart phones into our lives -- but now they are the ones intruding with an entirely unnecessary intrusion in order to blow their own horn.

crowley · July 15, 2021 12:13PM

I_Got_A_Bowl_Cut said:

Come on now let's get a hold of yourself here. It's not unsolicited users have to have the tv app installed and notifications turned on.

Isn't TV a default app?

Seems like it should only notify Apple TV+ subscribers.

GeorgeBMac · July 15, 2021 12:15PM

crowley said:

I_Got_A_Bowl_Cut said:

Come on now let's get a hold of yourself here. It's not unsolicited users have to have the tv app installed and notifications turned on.

Isn't TV a default app?

Seems like it should only notify Apple TV+ subscribers.

Or none.

Not even Apple TV+ subscribers like to be spammed.

crowley · July 15, 2021 12:53PM

GeorgeBMac said:

crowley said:

I_Got_A_Bowl_Cut said:

Come on now let's get a hold of yourself here. It's not unsolicited users have to have the tv app installed and notifications turned on.

Isn't TV a default app?

Seems like it should only notify Apple TV+ subscribers.

Or none.
Not even Apple TV+ subscribers like to be spammed.

They can always turn off notifications if they don't like them. TV is hardly a big abuser of the notification system, I think this bit of professional pride/advertising is reasonable.

igorsky · July 15, 2021 1:36PM

GeorgeBMac said:

Thank you ai!

That was well said and true!
When I got the notification I thought: "This is inappropriate" -- but you expressed that feeling much better and objectively.

In addition, a while back Apple made a big deal out of trying to contain and restrict the intrusion of smart phones into our lives -- but now they are the ones intruding with an entirely unnecessary intrusion in order to blow their own horn.

Or you could just settle down and turn off notifications for ATV+. You know, like you would for any other app without posting a rant about it.

GeorgeBMac · July 15, 2021 4:29PM

crowley said:

GeorgeBMac said:

crowley said:

I_Got_A_Bowl_Cut said:

Come on now let's get a hold of yourself here. It's not unsolicited users have to have the tv app installed and notifications turned on.

Isn't TV a default app?

Seems like it should only notify Apple TV+ subscribers.

Or none.
Not even Apple TV+ subscribers like to be spammed.

They can always turn off notifications if they don't like them. TV is hardly a big abuser of the notification system, I think this bit of professional pride/advertising is reasonable.

You don't understand the difference between spam and a notification? Really?

Or are you simply being obtuse? Again?

GeorgeBMac · July 15, 2021 4:31PM

igorsky said:

GeorgeBMac said:

Thank you ai!

That was well said and true!
When I got the notification I thought: "This is inappropriate" -- but you expressed that feeling much better and objectively.

In addition, a while back Apple made a big deal out of trying to contain and restrict the intrusion of smart phones into our lives -- but now they are the ones intruding with an entirely unnecessary intrusion in order to blow their own horn.

Or you could just settle down and turn off notifications for ATV+. You know, like you would for any other app without posting a rant about it.

If they want to send spam, they should add a spam switch.

caskey · July 15, 2021 5:58PM

GeorgeBMac said:

You don't understand the difference between spam and a notification? Really?
Or are you simply being obtuse? Again?

here’s an example of the exact same notifications that I get all the time from similar apps. You might define it as spam, but it’s not. It’s a notification. If you had it turned off he’d still got it, you could argue it’s spam, but that’s not what’s happening here.

crowley · July 15, 2021 6:31PM

GeorgeBMac said:

crowley said:

GeorgeBMac said:

crowley said:

I_Got_A_Bowl_Cut said:

Come on now let's get a hold of yourself here. It's not unsolicited users have to have the tv app installed and notifications turned on.

Isn't TV a default app?

Seems like it should only notify Apple TV+ subscribers.

Or none.
Not even Apple TV+ subscribers like to be spammed.

They can always turn off notifications if they don't like them. TV is hardly a big abuser of the notification system, I think this bit of professional pride/advertising is reasonable.

You don't understand the difference between spam and a notification? Really?
Or are you simply being obtuse? Again?

Unsolicited advertising that you're not interested in is spam, but it's delivered as a notification either way. And you can turn it off whatever your opinion of it is.

GeorgeBMac · July 15, 2021 6:40PM

caskey said:

GeorgeBMac said:

You don't understand the difference between spam and a notification? Really?
Or are you simply being obtuse? Again?

here’s an example of the exact same notifications that I get all the time from similar apps. You might define it as spam, but it’s not. It’s a notification. If you had it turned off he’d still got it, you could argue it’s spam, but that’s not what’s happening here.

I'm sorry, but using a notification to send spam doesn't make it not spam.

caskey · July 16, 2021 2:01AM

GeorgeBMac said:

caskey said:

GeorgeBMac said:

You don't understand the difference between spam and a notification? Really?
Or are you simply being obtuse? Again?

here’s an example of the exact same notifications that I get all the time from similar apps. You might define it as spam, but it’s not. It’s a notification. If you had it turned off he’d still got it, you could argue it’s spam, but that’s not what’s happening here.

I'm sorry, but using a notification to send spam doesn't make it not spam.

Since when are you the sole arbitrator of what is and is not spam. Most people would not consider that message spam.

Japhey · July 16, 2021 2:21AM

I received this NOTIFICATION in my morning summary today, and I’m completely outraged at having to spend a millisecond swiping left. I then spent 60000 times longer expressing my outrage online. That’s a lot of outrage, let me tell you. But then, 10 seconds later I completely forgot about it. Weird.

command_f · July 16, 2021 9:48PM

I'm disappointed that Apple is doing this, mostly because I like some refuge from adverts but also because it's another differentiator gone. Apple rising above such things as self-advertising was part of the appeal of the "different" thinkers.

Apple sends push notification advertising Emmy nominations

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