The popular language-learning app Duolingo is facing criticism for potentially violating Apple’s advertising policy. Users have reported seeing unexpected advertisements for the app’s premium subscription appearing in the iPhone’s Live Activities feature, a move that directly contradicts Apple’s developer guidelines.

How Duolingo’s Advertising Policy Defies Apple’s Rules

According to numerous user reports, particularly on the social media platform Reddit, Duolingo has been using the Dynamic Island and the lock screen to push promotional content. Specifically, offers for its ‘Super’ subscription are being displayed in these interactive spaces, which Apple has strictly reserved for ongoing activities and tasks, not for marketing.

These claims are supported by screenshots shared by users, showing the persistent ad banners. This practice is a clear breach of Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines for Live Activities, which explicitly state, ‘Don’t use a Live Activity for advertising or promotions.’ The community’s reaction has been swift, with many users expressing their frustration over the intrusive ads.

The Potential Consequences for Duolingo

Apple is known for its stringent enforcement of App Store rules. Any application found to be in violation of its design and functionality principles faces the serious risk of being removed from the App Store entirely. This could be a significant blow to Duolingo, given its large user base on iOS.

However, it’s worth noting that these advertisements do not seem to be appearing for all users. This suggests that Duolingo may have been conducting a limited test or has already withdrawn the feature following the negative feedback. The tech world is now watching closely to see how Apple will respond to this apparent rule violation.

So, what are your thoughts on Duolingo’s use of ads on the iPhone? Share your opinions with us in the comments!