I’m getting tired of apps trying to get me to buy more stuff through their notifications.
I need notifications for e.g., Uber and my grocery delivery app. But I don’t need them to tell me that I can get a 10% discount if I use them this weekend.
Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing trend. It feels like I’m dismissing 10 promotional notifications a day. You can’t just disable notifications for these apps because their core functionality kind of requires it … but there’s also usually no way to configure notifications in-app to disable promotional ads.
I guess this is kind of supposed to be solved by Apple Intelligence auto-sorting notifications? That doesn’t seem to help much, though…
Anyone have any solutions…? Or maybe I should just get over it, ha.
I do not have any solution. The thing is that the creators/staff behind almost any app apparently are not able to control themselves when it comes to bugging their users/customers with notifications. I would allow a news app to send me notifications for breaking news if only those apps accepted that almost nothing is breaking news. They think differently - so no notifications at all for news apps, which may be a good thing after all.
My approach:
By default, I basically disable notifications on any app.
If I think that an app should be allowed to notify me, I will very often choose to use scheduled summaries.
Only very few apps are allowed to notify me immediately like WhatsApp, Messages (not of much use over here), mail, some banking apps, and stuff like that.
I am using focus modes to restrict notifications even further even for apps that are allowed to notify me immediately.
I do not use Apple Intelligence for notifications. I have tried it in the early days. The results were… bad. I don’t know, maybe I should give it a try again eventually.
Your approach is similar to mine. The trouble is apps who typically provide valuable info through notifications. I like my DQ app telling me my pickup order is ready. Yet while I might order DQ once a month or less, I get 2–3 ads a week for hot eats and cool treats via the app.
I guess the diligent thing to do would be to toggle notifications for these nuisance apps when they are actively in use … but there’s no way I’ll remember to do that, and then my ice cream will melt.
Meanwhile there’re apps like Amazon, whose “Your order has shipped!” notification is something I want, but maybe I don’t want it badly enough that I should allow it to spam me with “Ten great xmas deals inspired by your shopping history.”
Same here. There are tons of apps I would allow to notify me. But it is not worth it to me to get those few notifications I really want while being bombarded with nonsense at the same time.
Display advertising should be limited to your main app binary, and should not be included in extensions, App Clips, widgets, notifications, keyboards, watchOS apps, etc.
I avoid installing apps for merchants like Amazon & Walmart if I can order through a website. Most notify through text or email if their app is not installed, and I have server side rules that intercept and file these emails so I can quickly check them if needed.
I leave notifications on for financial apps like bank and credit card because I want to know about all transactions. And some are now used for 2FA when logging into their website.
And I only use Uber or Lyft when traveling or if my car is in the shop, etc. so I turn Notifications ON before I launch the app.
If you have the Parcel app, the Amazon integration is seamless. It will pick up package notifications from Amazon automatically without the need to manually enter tracking numbers.
Not to mention the apps themselves. The Uber app is so cluttered with ads and offers it’s practically impossible wade through them to do the very thing the app was allegedly built for. Ditto the app for my mesh network, my ISP provider, the list goes on.
I turn notifications off. A few apps are allowed badges. Messaging apps are allowed notifications, but that’s it.
I don’t install any apps that sell as they not only riddle you with notifications but take far too many identifiers of my phone. I’ve also removed social media apps.
I’ve got a few weird hills I’ll die on, and “sneaky ads” is one of them. I can’t stand them in any form.
Podcasts are an example. I’ll go to listen to “The Most Famous Podcast in the World”, hit play, and suddenly they’re like: “This week, a special episode from our friends at A Great Podcast! Enjoy!”
DELETE.
Don’t bait-and-switch me into another show. Even if I might like it, the way you slipped it in guarantees I won’t listen out of spite. It’s almost as bad as a “live” episode
So yeah—if an app pulls the same stunt with notifications, I’ll switch. If Lyft did it too, I’d call an actual taxi. If that doesn’t work, I’d buy a car. If that car had ads in their app, I’d start riding my bike. LOL
Agreed this is super annoying. With food/restaurant apps in particular, I’ve found I can get away with muting them and I still get my food when it’s ready. Amazon I just uninstall until I actually need it, usually to open an Amazon locker. But there are a few I haven’t solved.
Is the app required to use an Amazon locker where you are? It’s been at least a year since I used Amazon, but back then the barcode was in an e-mail to me that I could scan.
Yes, the ones I use require location and bluetooth; no barcode in the email. The app confirms I’m near and then gives me a button to unlock. Fortunately, I only need a locker every year or so.
That’s exactly why I don’t allow any notifications at all. Not a single app (not even Open Source) is allowed to send me notifications.
Unfortunately, Proton Mail (an Open Source app on iOS and macOS) also has irregular advertising. They want you to upgrade to a more expensive subscription.
I didn’t think this as a trend but now that you mentioned it, I am getting tons of these even from my banking app and eWallet app. This is pretty annoying! I can’t turn them off (banking and eWallet app will ask for OTP-like approval for every transactions via notifications) but yet, they take advantage of this technology to push junk to me! Grr…
