Apple users have expressed frustration after receiving promotional push notifications in the Apple Wallet app advertising the company’s new original film, “F1 the Movie.” The notification offered a $10 discount on Fandango when purchasing two or more tickets.
Social media platforms lit up with customer complaints, with many users criticizing Apple for using the built-in Wallet app to deliver unsolicited advertising. For instance, one Reddit user voiced their annoyance by saying, “I did not pay over $1,000 for an iPhone to get advertised at.” Another requested assistance on how to disable such promotional notifications.
Currently, in the latest publicly available version of iOS, users are limited in their options to restrict promotional content from the Wallet app. They can deactivate general notifications or disable card benefit notifications during checkout, but they cannot specifically block promotional offers. However, a new toggle labeled “Offers & Promotions,” available exclusively in the beta version of iOS 26, provides consumers greater control, indicating Apple’s possible intention to increase promotional messaging through built-in apps.
Apple’s recent promotional tactics echo past controversies, such as the 2014 incident when the company automatically added U2’s album to users’ iTunes libraries—an event users continue referencing negatively over a decade later. Reaction online drew similar comparisons, with one user sarcastically recalling being forced to have the music “gifted” by Apple and noting, “I am getting Bono flashbacks.”
The high-profile Apple original film “F1 the Movie” stars Brad Pitt and was partially shot directly at live Formula 1 Grand Prix events. The film prominently features various Apple products, including custom filming rigs incorporating iPhone components and AirPods Max headphones worn by Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes.
Apple, alongside distribution partner Warner Bros., has intensely promoted the film, including debuting a trailer with haptic feedback effects and prominently featuring it at Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote presentation. Despite these efforts, the unsolicited promotion through Wallet notifications has triggered backlash among some already marketing-sensitive Apple customers.
Apple has not yet publicly responded to criticisms regarding the Wallet notification controversy.
