[II2II]

These companies still participate in advertising. All of these brands include the company logo and usually try to differentiate their design so that you, as the consumer, are a walking billboard for them. Beyond that, you can be assured that they collect any data on the consumer that they can. What they do with that data is out of the consumer's eyes.

It is also worth noting that there is plenty of advertising in Apple products. Heck, the last time I used one they had at least two digital storefronts built in. They may not be as crass as Microsoft is (e.g. with the use of the Start Menu), but it is data driven. Whether the advertising is plastered everywhere or not simply reflects the target market, rather than how they collect and use data.

[dtech]

I think including advertisements to have logo brands or linked purchase options is a bit of a disingenuous generalization, it's not what we're talking about with "advertising" in this context.

Yes, you are promoting Apple products if you carry around a Macbook with its logo, but you aren't being advertized to. The built-in stores might just barely meet the definition, but it is very different from a random ad during a TV show or on your desktop.

[eloisius]

Yup. I was very disappointed to discover that with the purchase of my My iPhone, the Settings app, the damn settings app, had ads plastered at the top of it. Two of them trying to sell me subscriptions to Apple Arcade and TV+. I’m very disappointed that, like every other garbage company, they’ve decided to subvert their own customers by following wherever the eyeballs go and sticking ads there.

[Razengan]

Apple Arcade, TV+ etc. are basically optional upgrades for your devices.

This is VERY different to letting third-parties advertise to you.

[eloisius]

They’re also not _settings_. They are unwelcome clutter that are not there to make my device serve me better while I go about my life. Just send me a marketing email so that I can mark it as spam.

[Xelbair]

and 1st party ads are still ads.