Thread

Apple has added persistent 'ads' to iOS, and it's driving users crazy

822 points · 601 comments · MC995

AnonC · 1790088825 · focus · HN ↗
I doubt John Ternus will change direction anytime soon, since it will look like he’s reversing the plethora of eyesore ads that Tim Cook added over his tenure.
But the Apple with ads is not the Apple that had some taste and discernment in the past. For a long time I’ve visited the App Store’s app update page directly (tap and hold on App Store icon to see the context menu option). Anytime I inadvertently go to the App Store home page or the few times I search, it’s an ad filled disaster!
From this article
> repeatedly attempting to prod customers towards even more of the company’s products might seem cheap, even distasteful.
From a recent post by John Gruber:
> Steve Jobs in 2011: 'We Build Products That We Want for Ourselves, Too, and We Just Don't Want Ads' [1]
Looks like Tim Cook, John Ternus and Eddy Cue really enjoy being swamped with ads in their products. Will there soon be a time when Apple executives start carrying some other brand’s devices with them to avoid having a rotten experience?
[1]: We don’t want ads <a href="https://daringfireball.net/linked/2026/07/28/jobs-we-dont-want-ads" rel="nofollow">https://daringfireball.net/linked/2026/07/28/jobs-we-dont-wa...
1. rapind · 1790089281 · focus · HN ↗
  Imagine spending $2k on a phone only to be presented with ads. Quick way to lose your luxury and loyal customers IMO.
  On the flip side, imagine having another product made for people who can afford $2k phones... Well you'd probably pay a lot to advertise to that market.
  I think trying to balance between these 2 is going to be tough, and your luxury market could evaporate if a significant competitor came along. And by competitor, we're probably just talking about AI in your pocket or on your face that replaces the traditional phone interface. I also think it's a real slippery slope to short term profits once you start taking ad revenue.
  1. cousinbryce · 1790089721 · focus · HN ↗
    Where would the luxury market go? Asking for a friend
    Cider9986 · 1790092059 · focus · HN ↗
    GrapheneOS with FOSS apps is a premium experience but not where non - technical users will go currently because of the setup. Once setup it's very premium.
    Motorola really seems to be going for a luxury look [1] and there will be Motorola devices with GrapheneOS installed out of the box.
    [1] <a href="https://nitter.miningtcup.me/Moto/status/2102040650606891119#m" rel="nofollow">https://nitter.miningtcup.me/Moto/status/2102040650606891119...
    <a href="https://nitter.miningtcup.me/Moto/status/2100933254249627806#m" rel="nofollow">https://nitter.miningtcup.me/Moto/status/2100933254249627806...
    Pantone and some sound partnership.
    readthenotes1 · 1790093419 · focus · HN ↗
    Just about everybody with money uses contactless payment and it doesn't look like that works with graphene so I'm not sure I would call it premium except for privacy.
    Likewise, no Android Auto
    Cider9986 · 1790093601 · focus · HN ↗
    [delayed]
    klardotsh · 1790093895 · focus · HN ↗
    Funny enough, the only part of Apple Pay I use with any frequency is the browser/app integration part, basically as a much more convenient alternative to PayPal sometimes.
    IRL I do use it on occasion but everything I use it for, I could just fall back to the contactless chips in my physical plastic CCs - just like I did for all those years on a deGoogled Android phone with no Google Wallet support. The unique value add of Apple Pay in the physical world is nearly zero to me, other than acting as a market force that made US point of sale systems finally catch up to Canada years late and offer tap to pay.
    4chandaily · 1790095340 · focus · HN ↗
    No android auto? What are you basing this on? I ask because I am responding from grapheneos while connected to android auto, and I am concerned I am in the wrong universe again.
    readthenotes1 · 1790205095 · focus · HN ↗
    I guess I shouldn't believe what I read. I and when certainly wouldn't buy phone that doesn't do Android auto... Glad to hear it works!
    4chandaily · 1790254823 · focus · HN ↗
    It does. You do have to install it (GrapheneOS provides a Play Store Sandbox to install google apps to) intentionally, it is not installed by default. Perhaps that tripped up the author of the misinformation you came across?
    In any case, it is a fantastic OS with many of the annoyances of Android removed. (Scoped file permissions are fantastic, for example) If you are on the fence, I'd suggest giving it a shot. Replacing a phone OS might seem scary, but it is really pretty similar to use.
    drnick1 · 1790095495 · focus · HN ↗
    > Just about everybody with money uses contactless payment
    Cash is much better for privacy. The government, banking system, and countless intermediaries should not know how I spend my money.
    So the lack of contactless payment on GrapheneOS may be inconvenient, but is it consistent with a privacy stance.
    Cider9986 · 1790096699 · focus · HN ↗
    [delayed]

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