Final week, Apple quietly tweaked its advertising and marketing to take away a few of its taglines for Apple Intelligence, a transfer seemingly prompted by the delays in having a extra customized Siri prepared for iOS 18. Nevertheless, it now seems like there could also be extra happening right here than Apple backpedaling within the face of controversy and some lawsuits.
The Nationwide Promoting Division (NAD) printed a call in the present day recommending that Apple “modify or discontinue promoting claims concerning the supply of sure options related to the launch of its AI-powered Apple Intelligence software within the U.S.
Notably, the NAD isn’t involved solely with the dearth of the extra customized and context-aware Siri that Apple promised for iOS 18. The company additionally took umbrage with Apple’s choice to start promoting Apple Intelligence with the launch of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Professional in September, regardless of realizing on the time that the primary Apple Intelligence options wouldn’t arrive till iOS 18.1 in October and lots of extra wouldn’t come till a lot later.
Though Apple famous this delay in a number of locations, the NAD discovered that the “footnotes and small-print” disclosures weren’t proportional to the a lot bigger advertising and marketing banners that might have led many purchasers to imagine that Apple Intelligence options would have been obtainable out of the field, “together with Precedence Notifications, Picture Technology instruments (Picture Playground, Genmoji, and Picture Wand), ChatGPT integration into Siri and Writing Instruments, and new Siri capabilities.”
Though Apple launched these options in staggered software program updates between October 2024 and March 2025, NAD discovered that these claims weren’t correctly supported on the time they had been first made. NAD additional discovered that Apple’s disclosures—equivalent to footnotes and small-print disclosures—had been neither sufficiently clear and conspicuous nor near the triggering claims.
BBB’s Nationwide Promoting Division
Maybe probably the most outstanding had been the “Howdy, Apple Intelligence” taglines, which appeared on September 9, 2024, the identical day the iPhone 16 lineup was introduced. “Whereas these options at the moment are obtainable, NAD really useful Apple keep away from conveying the message that options can be found when they aren’t,” the company states in its choice.
Apple just lately changed these with “Constructed for Apple Intelligence,” that transfer could have been prompted by the NAD investigation. It’s unclear when the company started its inquiry, however it notes that it took exception to the dearth of the “new Siri performance, together with onscreen consciousness, private context, and cross-app actions,” all of which appeared underneath the “Obtainable Now” heading.
Throughout the inquiry, Apple knowledgeable NAD that these Siri options wouldn’t be obtainable on the unique timeline and that it had up to date its promotional supplies accordingly and modified claims and disclosures to adequately talk their standing. Moreover, Apple additionally completely discontinued the “Extra Private Siri” video demonstration.
BBB’s Nationwide Promoting Division
It seems Apple made these modifications earlier than the inquiry concluded. Nevertheless, NAD notes that it’s going to deal with them as if NAD really useful they be discontinued” for “compliance functions” — regardless that Apple voluntarily eliminated them earlier than the advice was printed. However, it’s unclear if the launch of the NAD inquiry prompted Apple’s choice.
“Whereas we disagree with the NAD’s findings associated to options which can be obtainable to customers now, we recognize the chance to work with them and can comply with their suggestions,” Apple mentioned in an advertiser assertion.
The Nationwide Promoting Division is a part of the BBB Nationwide Applications, an unbiased non-profit group that oversees trade self-regulation applications within the US. Its mandate is to assessment advert applications for fact and accuracy and make selections to assist set constant requirements.