GoKawiilApple embeds hard-to-dismiss promos for iCloud+, Music and AppleCare+ in iOS Settings
iPhone owners are reporting persistent promotional banners inside the iOS Settings app pushing Apple's own paid services, including iCloud+ storage, Apple Music, Apple TV+ trials and AppleCare+. Many of these prompts lack a working dismiss option and can linger for weeks or months, leaving a notification badge on the Settings icon until users either subscribe or the offer expires on its own.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The backlash reflects growing frustration with tech companies turning core operating system interfaces into advertising surfaces, a trend users have already criticized in products like Windows. For Apple, whose brand has leaned on a premium, ad-free user experience, this shift toward promoting its own subscription services within iOS could erode goodwill even as it boosts services revenue.
- Apple is showing persistent in-Settings promos for iCloud+, Apple Music, Apple TV+ and AppleCare+.
- Many prompts cannot be dismissed and may stay visible for weeks or months.
- The move has sparked widespread complaints on social media, with comparisons to Microsoft's ad-laden Start menu.
Source: techradar.com — Alex Blake, 2026-09-22
Published there as: “Apple has added persistent 'ads' to iOS, and it's driving users crazy”
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