Latest news with #Wallet
Business Insider
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Apple really, really wants you to go see its 'F1' movie
An iPhone notification. A surprise Brad Pitt appearance at an Apple store. A fancy trailer that makes your iPhone rumble. Apple is going all out for its big-budget "F1" movie. If you own an iPhone or visited one of the company's retail stores recently, you've likely noticed the promotional push as the Apple synergy machine kicked into gear. Apple has pulled many of its levers across various channels to drum up excitement for its latest original film, "F1: The Movie," which arrived in theaters Friday. It's a marketing flex that few companies aside from Apple are capable of, since they don't have the massive built-in install base of the iPhone. Apple's strategy of continuing to make big-budget movies has some, including Business Insider's Peter Kafka, scratching their heads. The tech giant's marketing push around "F1," though, makes sense — Apple's got skin in the game for this movie. Not all of Apple's marketing tactics have gone smoothly, though. On Tuesday, some iPhone users took to social media to complain about a notification on their home screen that turned out to be an ad sent from the Wallet app tied to the movie. The promo offered $10 off two tickets to see "F1" when you purchase from Fandango using Apple Pay. Sure, you could easily dismiss the notification and move on with your day, but some compared it to Apple's free U2 album that it added to iPhone users' libraries. There have also been some pretty creative marketing efforts. If you have an iPhone, you can watch a special version of the "F1" trailer in the AppleTV app that activates the phone's haptic engines (basically fancy vibrations), so that your device rumbles along with the vehicles' engines. (You'll also be encouraged to buy tickets when you open the app.) Experience the new @F1Movie trailer on iPhone in a way only Apple can deliver. — Tim Cook (@tim_cook) June 11, 2025 And for even more immersion, Apple's Maps app allows you to virtually check out the famous tracks where "F1" was filmed. Then there was Apple's big annual Worldwide Developers Conference, which took place in the weeks leading up to the movie's release. Its Formula 1-themed intro featured Apple exec Craig Federighi driving laps on top of Apple's "spaceship" HQ. At one point, Tim Cook looks right at the camera and says, "Yes, F1, baby." In May, actor Damson Idris, who stars in the movie alongside Brad Pitt, walked the carpet of the Met Gala in an F1 driver's uniform and helmet before unveiling a suit underneath. He held on to his helmet as an accessory. Exactly how much Apple invested to make "F1" a reality isn't clear. Initial reports said that the movie cost around $300 million to make (not counting its marketing budget). However, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski said that wasn't the case in an interview with Deadline last year. In reality, Bruckheimer said, the estimate was "tens of millions of dollars out of whack." "We can't give you a number because that's Apple's money and they can talk about it," Bruckheimer said. "But what I think you can say is it's quite a bit lower than what's been reported." Apple did not immediately respond to a Business Insider's request for comment on the budget. Some of Apple's investments in movies have proven success in the past. AppleTV+ made a name for itself in the film industry with "CODA," a 2021 coming-of-age movie that went on to win Best Picture at the 2022 Academy Awards, making it the first film released by a streamer to win the top award at the Oscars. On June 15, people attending a panel discussion for another AppleTV+ offering, "Severance," were surprised when Brad Pitt came out to promote "F1." Tim Cook was there too, and he made sure to mention that the movie included footage filmed using the same camera technology you can buy in the latest iPhones.
India.com
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Apple Pushes Ad For Its New F1 Movie Via Wallet App; Heres How To Stop It
Apple Wallet Ads: iPhone users are growing frustrated after receiving unexpected ads from the Apple Wallet app promoting Apple's original film, F1: The Movie. In the US, Apple has been sending push notifications through the Wallet app, advertising a special deal on F1 movie tickets. Some users reported getting alerts for ticket offers and even saw ads inside the app itself. The promotion includes a limited-time offer for booking two or more tickets. While it's common for shopping and food delivery apps to send promotional messages—with user consent—it feels unusual coming from Apple Wallet, an app mainly used to store credit cards, IDs, and tickets. Why Apple Wallet Is Showing Ad? The feature film, starring Brad Pitt, dives into the world of Formula 1 and was filmed during real Grand Prix races. The upcoming film also highlights Apple technology—from custom-built cameras made with iPhone parts for in-car shots to the AirPods Max worn by Pitt's character, F1 driver Sonny Hayes, while he sleeps. How To Stop Apple Wallet's Movie Ads Step 1: Open the Wallet app on your iPhone. Step 2: Tap the three-dot menu icon located at the top right corner. Step 3: Select Settings from the menu options. Step 4: Turn off the toggle next to Offers & Promotions to stop receiving ads. Adding further, the Cupertino based tech giant Apple seems to be violating its own App Store guidelines by sending out these notifications. The guidelines clearly state that push notifications shouldn't be used for advertising unless users have specifically agreed to receive them Netizens Reaction dear. This advertisement was delivered to me by push notification through the stock wallet app. This violates the Apple Developer Guidelines. Unless you're a monopoly that doesn't follow your own rules, please remove the Wallet app from the Apple App Store. — Sam Gardner (@samgardner_4) June 24, 2025 Apple abusing its Apple Pay notifications to promote its F1 movie is gross — Tom Warren (@tomwarren) June 24, 2025 Spam from Apple using the Wallet app — Maximiliano Firtman (@firt) June 24, 2025
The Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- The Wire
LF Labs Is Turning Crypto Into Real-World Payments
LF Labs is building a unified Web3 ecosystem with tools like the LF Wallet and blockchain-powered PoS machines, while accelerating early-stage crypto startups through funding and liquidity support. The Real-World Utility Crypto Has Been Waiting For As the crypto industry matures, projects that focus solely on hype or niche utility are giving way to those offering real-world, end-to-end value. One such emerging force is LF Labs, a multi-pronged Web3 infrastructure builder that is rapidly gaining traction. Rather than confining itself to a single function or product, LF Labs is constructing a full-stack crypto ecosystem aimed at solving the fragmentation in blockchain adoption. Its offerings span across the entire value chain—from early-stage project acceleration to merchant-ready crypto payment tools—bringing Web3 closer to everyday users and businesses. More Than Funding: Building Sustainable Projects At the heart of LF Labs is the LF Accelerator, a launchpad initiative that goes beyond passive VC-style investment. The accelerator program provides early-stage crypto startups with not just funding, but access to robust market-making services that ensure liquidity and sustained trading volume—two essential factors for any token project's survival. Source : LF Labs Medium This approach makes LF Labs more than just an investor. It becomes a strategic partner committed to long-term success, offering both capital and operational infrastructure. With an emphasis on building sustainable token economies, LF Labs aims to set a higher bar for what early-stage support should look like in Web3. Tools That Power Everyday Crypto Use As adoption expands, user-friendly crypto tools are becoming increasingly critical. Enter the LF Wallet - a soon-to-launch, non-custodial wallet designed for mainstream usage. This non-custodial wallet is designed to be the user's all-in-one crypto control center. It will offer features like staking, swapping, and most notably, integration with Point-of-Sale (PoS) machines. The wallet will also support LF Coin-based post payment options, enabling users to make real-world purchases and settle payments later using LF Coin. This flexible model is a bold step toward bridging crypto with traditional consumer behavior- buy now, pay later, but decentralized. Source : Crypto at the Checkout: LF PoS Devices LF Labs' blockchain-powered Point-of-Sale system brings crypto payments to merchants of all kinds—whether food trucks, retail stores, or Web3 events—by enabling on-the-spot transactions just like credit or debit cards. Designed for speed, security, and broad token compatibility (including LF Coin), each terminal syncs directly with the LF Wallet, allowing users to pay instantly and merchants to receive instant confirmations without worrying about volatility or complex conversions. Early access for the devices is now open via with limited units available. A Complete Ecosystem, Not Just a Product What distinguishes LF Labs is its holistic approach. By combining investment, liquidity services, user wallets, and merchant hardware, it offers a full-stack infrastructure solution for crypto's next growth phase. While many projects focus on one layer of the stack, LF Labs connects them all—helping tokens launch, scale, and become usable in the real world. The result is a powerful, unified ecosystem where both users and businesses can participate confidently. Positioned for the Future of Web3 As the Web3 economy continues to evolve, LF Labs is emerging as a frontrunner in real-world crypto infrastructure. With its wallet, PoS devices, and accelerator program all advancing rapidly, it is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between speculation and utility. For early adopters, LF Labs presents a rare opportunity: to be part of a movement that's not just talking about crypto in the real world—but actively building it. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NRDPL and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
iPhone users angry after receiving Apple Wallet notification for upcoming F1 movie
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. With Brad Pitt's F1 movie set to hit theaters this week, Apple thought it might be a good idea to provide iPhone users with a little bit of an incentive to see the film in theaters. In theory, the plan made sense. In practice, it generated furious backlash from users. Here's what went down. On Tuesday afternoon, some iPhone users noticed a push notification from their Wallet app. The notification was, in essence, a promotion whereby users purchasing two tickets to the film on Fandango would be able to do so with a $10 discount. As to why this promotion even exists, recall that Apple is one of the film's distributors. In turn, the film will ultimately end up as an offering on Apple TV+ following its theatrical run. Today's Top Deals Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Best Ring Video Doorbell deals Memorial Day security camera deals: Reolink's unbeatable sale has prices from $29.98 Predictably, Apple's strategy here generated a lot of backlash. And while it's possible that we're only hearing from a very vocal minority, the drama surrounding the incident is large enough that the move seems to have backfired. Here's how the promotion appeared on user devices: Remember, iPhone users don't appreciate when promotions they didn't ask for magically appear on their devices. Even when it's free, it can still be distasteful. As a prime example, remember the uproar when Apple automatically downloaded U2's Songs of Innocence album to millions of iPhones? Users felt violated, arguing that Apple's move reeked of corporate overreach. Keep in mind that this was before streaming became commonplace, and iPhone users, at the time, took their music libraries very seriously. In short, many users were dismayed, if not furious, that an album was added to their iTunes library without their permission. Responding to the controversy, U2 front man Bono said that the intention behind the partnership was pure, albeit misguided. Bono articulated that the band simply wanted to make its album accessible to swaths of people who might not otherwise be exposed to it. 'We wanted to deliver a pint of milk to people's front porches, but in a few cases it ended up in their fridge, on their cereal. People were like, 'I'm dairy-free.'' Similar to the U2 fiasco, users aren't happy with the F1 push notification, which is essentially an advertisement. Some iPhone users lamented that avoiding this type of chicanery is precisely why they left Android, only to see it emerge on Apple's platform. One user on the iOS subreddit sums things up nicely: 'I did not pay over $1000 for an iPhone to get advertised at.' Perusing what people are saying on X reveals more of the same: People blasting Apple for putting ads in their notifications. To wit, one user on X wrote the following: 'I love living in the future where the manufacturer of my phone makes a movie and sends me advertisement push notifications via my wallet.' Another user writes: 'Not a lot of notifications have access to give me notifications. Apple broke that trust so now the wallet app notifications have been disabled.' Indeed, Apple's move here is particularly frustrating because notifications from the Wallet app are typically useful. I'd personally recommend keeping them on as I imagine Apple won't try a stunt like this again anytime soon. But if the F1 ordeal left a bad taste in your mouth, here's how to turn off notifications to ensure you're not bombarded with another promotional stunt. Open up the Settings app and then select the Notifications pane. From there, scroll down until you see the Wallet listing. From there, turn the 'Allow Notifications' toggle to Off. Notably, Apple allows more granularity with Wallet app notifications in iOS 26. Specifically, if you go to the Wallet app settings pane in iOS 26, you'll see an option to toggle off notifications pertaining to 'Offers & Promotions.' We imagine that once iOS 26 ships, this toggle will be turned on by default. What's more, the fact that this toggle even exists suggests that iPhone users can expect more promotions in the future. Putting the saga surrounding Apple's questionable marketing tactics aside, F1 looks to be a great movie. If you're not yet familiar, it's a sports drama about a Formula One driver – played by Brad Pitt – who's forced into an early retirement following a brutal crash. Ultimately, he comes back to the sport he loves to help mentor a hotshot new driver. The movie comes from the same team as Top Gun: Maverick, which is evident from the trailer below. As we highlighted earlier this month, the early feedback about the movie has been overwhelmingly positive. Of course, nothing is a guarantee until release day comes. But the film, buoyed by Pitt's star power and Apple's bank account, might be on track to be the film of the summer. More Top Deals Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2025: Get $2,000+ free See the
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
iPhone customers upset by Apple Wallet ad pushing F1 movie
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.' Across social media, iPhone owners are complaining that their Wallet app sent out a push notification offering a $10 discount at Fandango for anyone buying two or more tickets to the film. The feature film, starring Brad Pitt, explores the world of Formula 1 and was shot at actual Grand Prix races. It also showcases the use of Apple technology, from the custom-made cameras made of iPhone parts used to film inside the cars, to the AirPods Max that Pitt's character, F1 driver Sonny Hayes, sleeps in. However well-received the film may be, iPhone users don't necessarily want their built-in utilities, like their digital wallet, marketing to them. 'I did not pay over $1000 for an iPhone to get advertised at,' complains one Reddit user (u/captain42d). Another recent post, already with dozens of replies, wants to know how to turn off Apple Pay ads. As it turns out, there's a new option in iOS 26's beta build to disable 'Offers & Promotions' from Apple Wallet that isn't available in the current release. Instead, users not on the new beta build only have the option to disable notifications or to turn off seeing card benefits within Wallet during checkout. They can't opt out of offers. The addition of the new control toggle in iOS 26 suggests that Apple plans to push more marketing messages and promotions through the Wallet app in the future — something many iPhone users won't appreciate. Apple customers are generally averse to advertisements and marketing efforts pushed to their devices without their consent. In the past, they've pushed back at ads for Apple's services in their iOS Settings, for example. And over 10 years later, people are still complaining about the U2 album that automatically appeared in their iTunes music library. Recalling that marketing debacle, one Reddit user writes of the new Wallet push notification for the F1 film, 'I am getting Bono flashbacks.' Apple has been heavily promoting the F1 film along with its distribution partner, Warner Bros., which has included the launch of a haptic trailer with vibration feedback. The company even kicked off its recent WWDC 2025 keynote this month with a preview of the film's action, with participation from Apple CEO Tim Cook and SVP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, as a race car driver. We reached out to Apple for comment and did not immediately hear back.
