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by codalan 1029 days ago
Google and Apple do things similar on their devices.

I get nagged to backup my Android phone. It's a thinly-veiled upsell to their Google Drive product. There is no way to tell it to STOP ASKING ME. I have an alternative backup system that I use. I will never pay for Google Drive.

The same is true for the iPhone. If you forget to turn off the Apple iCloud stuff on your phone, you'll hit the free limit at some point, then get an endless amount of nagging to BUY THE ICLOUD UPGRADE.

How is this not any different than a popup in Windows nagging me to switch to Edge? Or to buy O365?

The worst part is that none of this stuff have a permanent opt-out. Everyone has adopted the dark pattern of only providing Yes or Remind Me Later as options. It's just endless harassment from these large, bloated companies seeking more rent, rather than actually doing any substantial innovation.

3 comments

Neither of these are remotely similar to what M$FT is doing here. For one, I don't remember using any device where Google drive is an uninstallable app. Second, on android you can always turn off any notifications from any app. I don't even remember seeing any thread on such google drive notifications, so even it happens it seems very rare. The windows cases are too many and show up here every once in a while with some new obnoxious popup.
Yup. Connect new wireless earbuds? wOuLd yOu lIkE tO eNaBlE gOoGlE vOiCe aSsiStAnT? No, Google, I wouldn't, please stop asking every time.
“How is this not any different than a popup in Windows nagging me to switch to Edge? Or to buy O365?”

The implementation. I would argue Microsoft is far more egregious on how it shoves “recommendations” in your face compared to Apple or Google.

Lots of sites have ads for example, but you can quickly discern well integrated ads vs ones that are distracting.