It feels like they're really desperate to make their services ecosystem a thing, despite no one ever asking for it. But then services are the one area where it's possible to make shitloads of money out of thin air via recurring payments in a way that doesn't offend the users ("I'm using disk space on their servers and it needs to be paid for"). Locking people into these kinds of walled-garden services must also help somewhat with hardware sales.

Regarding the ports on macbooks, IMO it's just that Ive left and so everyone was allowed to design practical devices again, instead of admirable but impractical art pieces.

Where?

Eh.. It's not that bad really. It's their own service and it's pretty unobtrusive. I'm not saying I like it at all, but it's a lot better than microsoft's ad notifications on windows. The windows notification immediately triggers a stress reflex in me now.

I've seen other crap notifications on my iPhone from other Apple products in the same location.

It's a major turn off.

I cannot find any evidence of this. The only article I found even related to this was showing a feature where if you had the Siri suggestions widget then you might see an App Clip for a store nearby. It works like this: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/62559071/how-to-add-appc...

The only other advertising system within iOS that I’m aware of is the App Store, both in recommendations and search, and of course, that Apple will advertise their own services for iCloud, Storage and so on.

Is Apple an advertising-based company? Not really. Are they marketing-driven? Absolutely. I think the difference is about user value and user impact.

Apple tends to go the Amazon route of trying to capture value from the interactions users might already do, though their iAds network from a decade ago did show an unsuccessful attempt to capture the in-app ad market.

But I can’t think of the last time I would have seen an “ad” in settings, though since App Clips appear in settings for up to 10 days once installed, I can see why some might think so.

Theres nagging to setup Apple Pay (which apple gets a cut of), and now they also push trials of Apple Music and Apple Arcade - https://postimg.cc/YM9xW5B4/

They bug you to set up wallet, there's no way to opt out.

I think all the bugging can be skipped if you tap on it and initiate the setup flow then exit out of it or cancel it.

I’m not sure whether that applies to the wallet but it definitely works for Siri.

You were mostly right. I went as far as seeing a "Set up later in Wallet" button and tapped it. Now it's no longer showing an obnoxious red badge in settings. Thanks.

Click on setup and then exit and it’ll never ask again. Never had an issue with that