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Apple advertising iPhone 6s to older iPhone owners through App Store popups

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Apple has begun advertising the iPhone 6s to older iPhone users through the App Store, as spotted by @Dirk_Gently on Twitter. If a user browses the App Store, perhaps updating apps, with an iPhone 5s or earlier device, a modal popup may appear over the top of the view promoting the iPhone 6s as a ‘ridiculously powerful’ upgrade. Users are directed to learn more or ‘upgrade now’ which takes them to the Apple Store app to buy the new phone directly. The ad code appears to have been included alongside iOS 9.2.

Apple has used the App Store for advertising new iPhones and iPads before, but this is markedly more aggressive and intrusive direct marketing. iOS device users must press the ‘Skip’ button to get back to what they were doing.

In the past, Apple has featured the iPhone 6s a a small banner for instance or created device-targeted collections of apps to show in the Featured rotations — such as the ‘Enhanced with 3D Touch’ or ‘Great Apps for iPad Pro’ collections currently circulating the front pages.

There is a big difference between curated categories and full-screen advertisements that show without explicit user interaction. This is the first time Apple has used modal overlays (that interrupt what are you doing) to aggressively encourage upgrades.

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It is easy to be seen why this is causing some angst in the community: any full-screen modal advertisement is annoying. This is frustrating for any iPhone user, who may be happy with their device as is and not interested in being marketed to whilst using their phone as normal.

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Comments

  1. robkow86 - 8 years ago

    I tried to upgrade my phone to the iPhone 6s a couple months ago. I even made an appointment/reservation to get one. However, when I got to the store they told me to wait an hour. So I said F* this and left without upgrading. Now I have to get bombarded with these annoying ads.

    • alexandereiden - 8 years ago

      I am pretty sure you can wait an hour for a phone… Either way you can just order it online and get it next day.

      • vandiced - 8 years ago

        No he can’t. Didn’t you just read what he said?

      • robkow86 - 8 years ago

        what makes you pretty sure?

      • srgmac - 8 years ago

        What is the point of making an appointment if you need to wait an hour? Some people might have better things to do with their time…Which is the whole reason why appointments were “invented” in the first place!

      • alexandereiden - 8 years ago

        Well everyone was in a line. I mean if you got there before the store opened, there would still be a line. You need to buy the phone, you cannot just pick it up, and Apple has to deal with each customer separately. So it makes sense that there would be a line.

        And that is my point in stating about online ordering. I mean, if someone cannot wait however long it takes, the better option is to order online.

        And vandiced, he does not say that he cannot wait anywhere. He only stated that he did not want to wait so he left.

    • srgmac - 8 years ago

      Who do they think they are, a doctor’s office!? :D

    • ross549 - 8 years ago

      That’s one heck of a first world problem….

  2. rogifan - 8 years ago

    Does this show up every time you go to the App Store? If so incredibly annoying. My guess though is its only happening with iPhone 5 or older as that’s the last 32 bit iPhone.

    • alexandereiden - 8 years ago

      I am not sure the frequency, but I believe you are correct on the notion on iPhone 5 or before seeing the ads.

    • checker92 - 8 years ago

      It popped up yesterday on my iPhone 5S. So no, not just 32-Bit devices.

    • srgmac - 8 years ago

      I’m proudly rocking the 5S (world’s first 64-bit CPU in a phone!) — and I get this. Friggen stupid. I don’t want the 6S. If the 5S had NFC I’d be set for a few years…Friggen Apple and their “NFC is useless!” bit when the 5S was released, only to put it in the NEXT iPhone 11 months later…

  3. applegetridofsimandjack - 8 years ago

    I’m using an iPhone 6 and even I see those iPhone 6S app Store pages.
    Apple just wants everyone to upgrade.

  4. mockery17 - 8 years ago

    The fact that these are pop-up ads is really distasteful to me.

  5. Catherine Rot - 8 years ago

    Investors need a stock massage and Timmy is more than happy to oblige. :D

  6. cdm283813 - 8 years ago

    Can anybody recommend a pop-up blocker in the Apple store to prevent pop-ups in the Apple store?

    What a low ball move Apple. Next you will be trolling me in safari with unblockable ads for that piece of shit battery case knowing damn well you gimped the phone in the first place.

  7. markbyrn (@markbyrn) - 8 years ago

    More yarn for the Apple tech pundits to spin; how dare Apple advertise their own phone on their Store app! Seriously slow news day eh?

    • robkow86 - 8 years ago

      its not merely a spin. the ad is annoying and takes over the whole screen. this is different from the banner ads at the top.

      this is on the same level as if someone walks into an apple store and right away they are bombarded with apple employees telling them to upgrade their phones to the 6S.

      I can read the ads I don’t need to be bombarded with them.

      To me this is strike number 2 for apple so far this week. strike 1 was that crap battery case.

      • twelve01 - 8 years ago

        Haha, wow, get over yourself man. Out of curiosity, what happens at strike three?

    • Ivan - 8 years ago

      At strike 3, he summons a team of sexy ghosts and they throw green dildos with the Android logo out of their car while speeding down the interstate.

      Kinda wanna see strike 3 now.

  8. Jake Becker - 8 years ago

    I’m actually concerned who’s going to catch all those falling iPhone 6S’s. I don’t see a net there.

  9. khakimzhan - 8 years ago

    It did show up for me – ONCE! Totally not a big deal

  10. Teespring (@Teespring7) - 8 years ago

    In most cases it is common sense to promote new Apple iPhones via the app store, as many users are already connected to the app store, so can be targeted in real time.

    Plus, the iPhone 6s is well anticipated so its great to see it available to Apple users directly: http://iphone6s-1.weebly.com

    • robkow86 - 8 years ago

      I agree, I like the ad a lot. I live under a rock and have not been aware of the iPhone 6s. I will go buy one now.

      • alexandereiden - 8 years ago

        I think it is.. but I cannot be sure. Is your comment sarcastic?

      • robkow86 - 8 years ago

        yes.

    • Apple interrupting users with advertising *defies* common sense.

      It’s plainly foolish – and very un-Apple-like – to damage the user experience.

      When people open up the App store they’re doing so because they’re looking for apps, not hardware advertisements.

  11. Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 8 years ago

    Not sure advertising “power” means anything to people these days. Normal people don’t want, need, or know how a faster phone would benefit them. If they are holding onto an older phone they probably want something Apple isn’t giving them. Either a smaller design or a more compelling feature than “power”. We are at the point where most phones are good enough.

    Contrary to belief, Apple has not purposefully gimped our devices. My 4s has been running “perceptively” faster than it was with ios 7. Most of that is sped up animations and frame dropping, but at least they fixed it. If I’m ok with a 4s, I can’t imagine why people with a 5s or 6 would want to upgrade. A little better of a camera, LTE data, and touch ID are really the only things I feel like I’m missing out on right now. Apple pay could be had with the watch and force touch is something I want but since I’ve never had it I don’t miss it.

  12. Oh, so I didn’t click anywhere when I wasn’t looking, it popped out. Well, that explains itself.

    • Well, I would love to get one if I didn’t have the worst mobile carrier in the whole world (Orange). Every mobile carrier and every premium reseller has iPhone 6s / 6s Plus in stock but guess what? Orange doesn’t.

  13. zampemo - 8 years ago

    I received the same ad on an iPhone 5 jailbroken on 9.0.2, so it’s not strictly related to the new 9.2 release ;)

  14. This is evil garbage. There’s a reason Safari has a “block pop-up windows” setting.

  15. jfairweather - 8 years ago

    I resent this stuff. Always have. It reminds me of a Disney DVD / BluRay – you are forced to skip past a half-dozen promos where they try to get to buy more movies. Money and greed.

  16. George Alexander Floudas - 8 years ago

    Blame yourself for giving the company more credit and attention that it ever deserved ^_^

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.