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Apple Sending Unsolicited Notifications for New Carpool Karaoke Episodes and Apple Music Echo Support

Tuesday December 18, 2018 6:10 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple has recently been sending out unsolicited notifications to iOS users, promoting Carpool Karaoke episodes and the availability of Apple Music on Amazon Echo devices.

Multiple unwanted and unapproved notifications direct from Apple have gone out during the month of December, irritating iPhone users who aren't interested in the features that Apple is promoting.

Image via Twitter user Brian Roemmelle
Apple started sending out Carpool Karaoke notifications earlier this month via the TV app, letting users know that a new episode was available. It didn't take long for iPhone and iPad users to take to Twitter to complain about the unsolicited notifications.

The Apple Music Amazon Echo notifications appear to have gone out today, based on multiple reports from Twitter users who received the info from Apple. Apple Music support for Amazon Echo devices rolled out last Friday.

Apple doesn't appear to be sending these push notifications to all users, so it's not clear what criteria the company is using to determine who to send content to. Apple Music and the TV app, the apps that the notifications are coming from, are installed on iOS devices by default and are not apps that users elected to install.


If you've been receiving notifications from Apple, you can stop them by turning off notifications for the apps via the Settings app. Go to Notifications > Music or TV, and toggle off "Allow Notifications." Unfortunately there's no way to keep the TV or Music notifications you do want without also getting the unwanted notifications from Apple.

Apple has previously sent out unsolicited notifications on multiple occasions, but the frequency appears to be picking up. Just recently, the company sent out notifications encouraging people to upgrade to the iPhone XR or XS and letting users know about discounted iPhone XR pricing with trade-in.

Apple's App Store rules do not allow for apps to send notifications for advertising, promotions, or marketing purposes, but it appears those rules don't apply to Apple's own notifications.

[ 125 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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macduke
9 months ago
I don't want a new U2 album and I don't want this!
Rating: 36 Votes
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martyjmclean
9 months ago
Sales must be very low if they have to violate their own guidelines.
This past fortnight I've had a notification for Carpool Karaoke; multiple notifications for Apple Music and iPhone XR. All things I have no interest in.
Rating: 27 Votes
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az431
9 months ago

How exactly is this unsolicited when the user elected to enable notifications for these apps?


Perhaps you and the three people who liked your comment missed this part of the article:

Apple's App Store rules ('https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/') do not allow for apps to send notifications for advertising, promotions, or marketing purposes, but it appears those rules don't apply to Apple's own notifications.
Rating: 26 Votes
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Dj64Mk7
9 months ago
How exactly is this unsolicited when the user elected to enable notifications for these apps?
Rating: 25 Votes
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bbednarz
9 months ago

Makes me want to smash my iPhone and switch to Android.

If you use the Music and TV apps and want notifications relevant to your subscriptions then you are de facto forced to accept Apple's ******** push ads. This is not OK.

You want to smash your phone and switch OSs because of a... push notification.....? Get a grip.
Rating: 23 Votes
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bbednarz
9 months ago
Are we really going to complain about a push notification? This reminds me of a lady that called in a few years ago when I was working in tech support. She was mad because she had to click "save changes" on her profile after she updated her profile.... People just like to complain about anything and everything.
Rating: 21 Votes
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cmaier
9 months ago

How exactly is this unsolicited when the user elected to enable notifications for these apps?

Because the notifications are supposed to be about new episodes of shows we watch, not ads for things we haven’t expressed any interest in.
Rating: 19 Votes
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macsba
9 months ago

Makes me want to smash my iPhone and switch to Android.

You really don't want to do that.
Rating: 17 Votes
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farewelwilliams
9 months ago
Tim: "But Eddy, our customers aren't going to like this"
Eddy: "Screw them"
Rating: 12 Votes
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ikramerica
9 months ago
I just want a way to turn off Notifications every day about upgrading MacOS to Mojave. You can’t close it. You can’t do anything with them other then click them and let them take you to App Store and then close that.

I can’t upgrade! I’m in the middle of a project with a legacy app that I don’t want to risk breaking. Leave me alone!

When I’m done, I can marvel about how innovative dark mode is (something so old it’s new again I guess...)
Rating: 11 Votes

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