In light of the current situation with the F1 movie notifications from Apple, one Reddit user humorously remarks, “I am getting Bono flashbacks.”
Apple’s customer base generally dislikes unsolicited advertisements and marketing campaigns pushed to their devices. Previously, there were objections to ads for Apple services in iOS Settings. Even a decade later, people still remember the backlash against the U2 album that appeared in their iTunes libraries without permission.
Apple customers have expressed dissatisfaction with receiving advertisements from the Apple Wallet app promoting Apple’s Original Film, “F1 the Movie.” Many iPhone users have taken to social media to voice their frustration after receiving a push notification from the Wallet app offering a $10 discount at Fandango for purchasing two or more tickets to the movie.
Requests for comments were made to Apple, but a response has not been received yet.
In the beta version of iOS 26, there is a new feature that allows users to opt-out of “Offers & Promotions” from Apple Wallet, a functionality not present in the current release. Users not on the latest beta build can only disable notifications or choose to hide card benefits within Wallet during checkout, with no option to opt out of offers altogether.
The introduction of this new control in iOS 26 indicates that Apple might increase the number of marketing messages and promotions through the Wallet app moving forward—an approach likely to be met with further resistance from iPhone users.
One Reddit user (u/captain42d) complains, “I did not pay over $1000 for an iPhone to get advertised at.” Another post, generating numerous replies, inquires about disabling Apple Pay ads.
Despite the positive reception the film has received, iPhone owners are not particularly thrilled about their native utilities, like the digital wallet, being used for marketing purposes.
Apple has been actively promoting the F1 film in collaboration with Warner Bros., its distribution partner. This includes the release of a haptic trailer with vibration feedback. The company even started its recent WWDC 2025 keynote with a sneak peek of the film’s action, featuring Apple CEO Tim Cook and SVP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, in a racing scenario.
The film, featuring Brad Pitt, delves into the world of Formula 1 and was filmed at real Grand Prix races. It also highlights the integration of Apple technology, from the custom-made cameras composed of iPhone components used to capture footage inside the cars to the AirPods Max worn by Pitt’s character, F1 driver Sonny Hayes, even while sleeping.
