Exactly. If there's anything this year has taught me, it's that what users really want is more unsolicited notifications from the Wallet app.
The
backlash was swift across social media, with many pointing out that Apple's own App Store guidelines prohibit push notifications for promotional purposes unless users explicitly opt in. The irony wasn't lost on critics that Apple appeared to violate its own rules while promoting its F1 movie through partner Fandango
Apple could & should solve this issue by creating a new toggle (within the Wallet settings) to allow for users to disable ANY and all future push notifications (like the F1 ad⬆️) or bonus rate Apple Cash promotions - like this 5% Uber one
I agree with you, every time I go into the 🍎Card to see my transactions (or pay the cc bill) I see similar ads (that you’re referring to) bonus Apple Cash rates above the standard 2% rate (most that I’m not interested in)
I myself don’t particularly mind them because it’s not enough of a nuisance for me to warrant disabling (if given the option to do so in a future iOS) and I often take advantage of some of these bonus rate promos anyway
BUT a lot of people signed up for this card back in 2019 SPECIFICALLY for privacy reasons (AND simplicity) because this card was supposed to be DIFFERENT than typical credit cards (that many find annoying) and often come across as overbearing, intrusive, etc
These unsolicited ads were
never part of what many people had initially signed up for AND if we as consumers can’t even hold Apple to THEIR own privacy standards (because they essentially violate the very terms that they themselves created) then that obviously doesn’t bode well for ANY company doing the same for that matter, either
Not that this particular occurrence is a big deal or anything, but rather that it speaks of larger societal issues whereby companies continuously push the lines of what they can get away with, down a slippery slope, by using classic bait-and-switch (as well as other anti-consumer tactics) while being unable to be, in any way shape or form, held accountable. Until there is
ANY type or form of accountability, this will just continue to occur and probably get progressively worse
Ultimately it’s accountability that serves as a check on ANYTHING and prevents consumers (or anybody) from being taken advantage of and it’s well documented that accountability continues to go by the wayside throughout all aspects of society these days
Apple CAN easily solve this - just have a setting (within the Wallet app) to DISABLE all future ads (or promotions) many of us don’t want (or have the time) for unnecessary distractions in our busy lives (via these unwanted push notifications)
It would be even better if Apple listed ALL of their promotional partners like Uber, Fandango, Exxon, Nike etc. (within Wallet’s settings) thereby allowing users to
UNCHECK any (or all) companies for whom they have NO intention of receiving promotional solicitations from while still being able to get the news (or information) needed for promotions of companies that they actually
ARE interested in receiving
Empowering the customer with
CHOICE is (and
always will be) the way to go for ANY company to go - Android has done it this way from the start
Apple, initially (under Steve Jobs) resisted THAT approach because at the time (maybe 15 years ago) it made sense for Apple to simplify things and decide most UI choices (on the typical customer’s behalf) to enable an easy to use and understand OS but we are LONG past those days
Most people have been using phones for well over a decade and are MORE than familiar with customizing their phones (to their liking) and damn we’ll want to!
