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Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design GUI

44 points by frizlab 10mo ago

frizlab 10mo ago
Original title: “Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines”
- RattlesnakeJake 10mo ago
  Was that a manual truncation? The capitalization of the "gui" part seems automated, though it could be an autocorrect thing
  - frizlab 10mo ago
    I had to truncate and got pissed because titles on HN are too small (it’s not the first time I was forced to editorialize a title because of HN limitations), so I just cut at the end. The all caps part “GUI” was definitely a surprise!
- ChrisArchitect 10mo ago
  for might have worked; Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island for Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines
deleted 10mo ago
[deleted]
gruez 10mo ago
>Apps that violate Apple's interface guidelines can be pulled from the App Store. Is this actually true? The "Don’t use a Live Activity to display ads or promotions" recommendation is under "Best practices", which sounds non-compulsory.
solarkraft 10mo ago
Apple - unfortunately - doesn't actually enforce these rules. I get ads in my notifications all the time.
- musicale 10mo ago
  It's a miserable change. > Android users highlight a better system. On that platform, developers must separate promotional, transactional, and service-related notifications into channels. You can silence the ads while keeping delivery alerts or account updates. > Notifications were designed to inform. Instead, they’ve become another tool to sell. Unless platforms enforce stricter controls or let users fine-tune preferences, the problem will only grow. https://www.macobserver.com/news/how-notifications-became-ad-delivery-systems-on-ios/ https://www.macobserver.com/news/how-notifications-became-ad... Moreover, Apple needs guidelines to prevent Apple's own apps (Wallet, TV, Fitness, Books, Music...) from pushing intrusive ads via app notifications: > Apple customers aren’t thrilled they’re getting an ad from the Apple Wallet app promoting the tech giant’s original film “F1 the Movie.” https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/24/iphone-customers-upset-by-apple-wallet-ad-pushing-f1-movie/ https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/24/iphone-customers-upset-by-...
- nozzlegear 10mo ago
  The Dynamic Island isn't what I'd call a "notification." Apps use it to show you something that you're actively doing or tracking right now. Using it to show ads is like stealing a piece of your visible screen real estate to set up a tiny billboard that says "buy Duolingo!" > I get ads in my notifications all the time. FWIW, I don't get any ads in my notifications except for that one obnoxious F1 movie ad from Apple themselves.
deleted 10mo ago
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UltraSane 10mo ago
Dynamic Island is the most pretentious name for a giant hole in the screen.

44 points by frizlab 10mo ago

frizlab 10mo ago

Original title: “Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines”

RattlesnakeJake 10mo ago
Was that a manual truncation? The capitalization of the "gui" part seems automated, though it could be an autocorrect thing
- frizlab 10mo ago
  I had to truncate and got pissed because titles on HN are too small (it’s not the first time I was forced to editorialize a title because of HN limitations), so I just cut at the end. The all caps part “GUI” was definitely a surprise!
ChrisArchitect 10mo ago
for might have worked; Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island for Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

deleted 10mo ago

[deleted]

gruez 10mo ago

>Apps that violate Apple's interface guidelines can be pulled from the App Store. Is this actually true? The "Don’t use a Live Activity to display ads or promotions" recommendation is under "Best practices", which sounds non-compulsory.

solarkraft 10mo ago

Apple - unfortunately - doesn't actually enforce these rules. I get ads in my notifications all the time.

musicale 10mo ago
It's a miserable change. > Android users highlight a better system. On that platform, developers must separate promotional, transactional, and service-related notifications into channels. You can silence the ads while keeping delivery alerts or account updates. > Notifications were designed to inform. Instead, they’ve become another tool to sell. Unless platforms enforce stricter controls or let users fine-tune preferences, the problem will only grow. https://www.macobserver.com/news/how-notifications-became-ad-delivery-systems-on-ios/ https://www.macobserver.com/news/how-notifications-became-ad... Moreover, Apple needs guidelines to prevent Apple's own apps (Wallet, TV, Fitness, Books, Music...) from pushing intrusive ads via app notifications: > Apple customers aren’t thrilled they’re getting an ad from the Apple Wallet app promoting the tech giant’s original film “F1 the Movie.” https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/24/iphone-customers-upset-by-apple-wallet-ad-pushing-f1-movie/ https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/24/iphone-customers-upset-by-...
nozzlegear 10mo ago
The Dynamic Island isn't what I'd call a "notification." Apps use it to show you something that you're actively doing or tracking right now. Using it to show ads is like stealing a piece of your visible screen real estate to set up a tiny billboard that says "buy Duolingo!" > I get ads in my notifications all the time. FWIW, I don't get any ads in my notifications except for that one obnoxious F1 movie ad from Apple themselves.

deleted 10mo ago

[deleted]

UltraSane 10mo ago

Dynamic Island is the most pretentious name for a giant hole in the screen.