Amazon pulls lock screen ads from discounted Prime phones

[Ryujin2003]

Not to take away from Linus's Holy Sh!t, but wow. I didn't even know this was a thing. Granted, I do not use an Amazon Prime phone, so I guess I wouldn't have.

 

[Edit:] So I wasn't aware of Amazon Prime Phones, but they appear to be super cheap phones offered for Prime members. Probably part of a marketing thing to boost Prime subscriptions and retain members. Here is a screen from the website:

 

This one is super quick, but I guess Amazon had been pushing advertisements to your phone during lock-screen. Advertisements would sit there like some sort of digital billboard. Even on the ad on Amazon, the lockscreen ads seems to be a selling point.

 

Quote

Amazon will sell its Prime-only phones without lock screen ads as of February 7th, and it's pushing an update this week that will strip the promos from existing phones. Amazon's app shortcuts will still be front and center once you've unlocked your phone, but you can always remove those if you don't care for Kindle books or Prime Video. Those who paid to remove ads can get refunds.

 

Well, I'm glad that refunds will go to those who already paid; however, pawning off products like that for ad-rev is horrific. Imagine what people would do if Sony and Samsung TV's showed advertisements when you turned them off?

 

I don't see much reason for Amazon to have done this in the beginning. Super invasive. Their reasoning for removing this isn't because of ethical or moral obligation, but instead because it can interfere with modern phones built in security functionalities:

Quote

The company explains this as a reflection of technological reality. Now that many phones have face recognition and fingerprint readers, Amazon wants to be sure those features work well. Ads that hijack your lock screen can sometimes preclude that. The company also touts the ability to personalize your screen as a motivating factor, although many would have argued that has been important from the outset.

Seriously, if I didn't want to customize my phone, I'd have gotten an iPhone. But I'm glad they recognize this as an issue, and don't really like how they are now going to use "screen personalization" as a freaking selling point for something everyone has been doing since.... Ever... I'm glad the personalization option is finally going to be available. You will still have the default Amazon apps as well as a Prime ad bar, but these can be hidden if you do not use them.

 

[Edit 2:] So I haven't really been able to find much out on other sites either. Amazon claims this is because of the ad feature interfering with facial recognition and fingerprint readers; however, I cannot really find much online yet as to how this would exactly be the case? How would this be different that message or email popups or even a background?  I guess I'm at a loss on how exactly this interference actually works.

 

[Edit:] In case you were curious, this is what cancer the ads looked like (courtesy of http://www.androidpolice.com/2018/02/06/amazon-removing-lock-screen-ads-prime-exclusive-phones/)

 

If you have a Prime phone, enjoy your refund and no more advertisements on the lock screen.... But there is a catch:

Quote

Amazon is raising the price of every Prime Exclusive phone by $20. They should still represent discounts over the regular price, but they won't necessarily be the sweet deals you're used to. With that said, this could be a worthwhile sacrifice if you're tired of receiving sales pitches every time you text a friend. For the most part, you're now getting a garden variety smartphone that just happens to cost less than usual.

 

Amazing. Do they really think they are losing that much on advertisement revenue due to this? Holy cow. You had been profiting off your consumers this whole time (enough for a $20 hike), and they get nothing (aside from a refund) for being a product? I wasn't aware this was a thing, but now I am. And I'm very disappointing in Amazon for doing this. I am glad this is being removed and isn't an optional removal any longer.

 

 

As was pointed out by a couple others, I was a little negative. I am not a fan of explicit advertisement in every aspect of life.

Maybe next week EA or Activision will give us a mobile app that can advertise Lootboxes on our lock screen. Amazon stopped, so that market is now free..... /s

 

Original Source:

https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/06/amazon-pulls-lock-screen-ads-from-prime-only-smartphones/

[Max_Settings]

Let's be honest, you forgot this phone existed.

[ItsMitch]

since when did amazon have a prime exclusive phone lmao 

[Max_Settings]

2 minutes ago, SC2Mitch said:

since when did amazon have a prime exclusive phone lmao 

I can't tell if you are serious or not. It was 2014.

 

[ItsMitch]

Just now, Max_Settings said:

I can't tell if you are serious or not. It was 2014.

 

 

Just now, Max_Settings said:

It was 2014

That's a long time ago fam, I barely remember my family's birthdays, let alone products. 

[Damascus]

I don't get why you are upset, this was a product that people opted in to.

[emosun]

1 minute ago, Damascus said:

I don't get why you are upset, this was a product that people opted in to.

who's upset this is tech news

[Ryujin2003]

7 minutes ago, Max_Settings said:

Let's be honest, you forgot this phone existed.

It totally makes sense for Amazon to sell cheap low-budget phones to its consumers. I mean, they have to compete with Best Buy, ATT, and everyone else. So the cheap part I'm not surprised about. And since I don't buy my phones on Amazon, yes, I probably forgot they even did that. But Wow. I don't think I would've forgotten the ads.

 

2 minutes ago, Max_Settings said:

I can't tell if you are serious or not. It was 2014.

I've definitely been an adult since before that, and I didn't remember that being a thing. And they've been pushing ads this whole time and no one thought it was a bad thing?

[Guest]

Back when I had an Amazon device, you could email support and they would disable the ads for free.

[Ryujin2003]

2 minutes ago, Damascus said:

I don't get why you are upset, this was a product that people opted in to.

I didn't think anyone would push advertisements on a lock screen. That is super invasive. And this has been going on for a while. I hate the ads that are pushed through various websites and everything else. I guess this made me realize that there really isn't a limit for invasive advertisement.

 

Opt-in because they wanted to see ads every day? Or opt-in because they needed a super cheap phone?

[Guest]

This the future. Adds on everything. Next thing you know your smart lights will somehow start to show adverts.  Side step: I remember that some time ago there was a company who gave you a flagship phone for dirt cheap, but the catch was that there were adds on it.

[Damascus]

7 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

Opt-in because they wanted to see ads every day? Or opt-in because they needed a super cheap phone?

Doesn't matter, it's not Amazon's job to give away phones.  If you need a cheap phone you can get a cheap phone, amazon was just offering better ones on the cheap.

[dizmo]

I'm with @Damascus, I have no idea why you have such a negative tone to your post. It's not like they were forcing these ads on people unexpectedly, you bought the phone at a lower price with full knowledge that your lock screen would feed you ads. The ads boost sales of Amazon items, and they were targeted to the user. You're saving hundreds of dollars, I'd say the trade off is more than fair. I don't even look at the lock screen most of the time.

 

The fact they're removing the ads is an interesting step. I can see a lot of people buying these, since a lot of people find Amazon Prime useful on it's own. I wonder if they'll have new phones or if they'll get phones that are later on in age.

[paulywog]

I don't understand what everyone's issue is with it. You have to pay X for your phone, and your attention to ads is worth Y to someone. So if they put on ads, they let you pay X-Y instead of X. You're just paying with a different currency. If you want to pay with full cash and not have ads, then... do that?

[Ryujin2003]

11 minutes ago, Damascus said:

Doesn't matter, it's not Amazon's job to give away phones.  If you need a cheap phone you can get a cheap phone, amazon was just offering better ones on the cheap.

I agree with you on that.

2 minutes ago, dizmo said:

I'm with @Damascus, I have no idea why you have such a negative tone to your post. It's not like they were forcing these ads on people unexpectedly, you bought the phone at a lower price with full knowledge that your lock screen would feed you ads. The ads boost sales of Amazon items, and they were targeted to the user. You're saving hundreds of dollars, I'd say the trade off is more than fair. I don't even look at the lock screen most of the time.

 

The fact they're removing the ads is an interesting step. I can see a lot of people buying these, since a lot of people find Amazon Prime useful on it's own. I wonder if they'll have new phones or if they'll get phones that are later on in age.

I really just don't like the ads being pushed part. I can go back and readdress the tone. I only use my lockscreen to see what time it is. I don't have emails or notifications or anything else available there.

 

I just do not understand why there doesn't seem to be a moral/ethical line for advertisements within the online space. It's constant, all the time. And I never really noticed how bad it was until my son started showing brand recognition for things we've never purchased, but has picked up from commercials and advertisements he sees on TV or in mobile games when he goes off to his grand parents.

 

And I do agree, with your last statement with the ads being removed, I feel like they would sell better. If I needed a budget phone, i personally wouldn't chose a Prime phone with constant advertisements. However, since those are gone, if I needed to get a cheap phone, it would be a good place to start.

[AdoptedAsian]

Just now, Ryujin2003 said:

I agree with you on that.

I really just don't like the ads being pushed part. I can go back and readdress the tone. I only use my lockscreen to see what time it is. I don't have emails or notifications or anything else available there.

 

I just do not understand why there doesn't seem to be a moral/ethical line for advertisements within the online space. It's constant, all the time. And I never really noticed how bad it was until my son started showing brand recognition for things we've never purchased, but has picked up from commercials and advertisements he sees on TV or in mobile games when he goes off to his grand parents.

 

And I do agree, with your last statement with the ads being removed, I feel like they would sell better. If I needed a budget phone, i personally wouldn't chose a Prime phone with constant advertisements. However, since those are gone, if I needed to get a cheap phone, it would be a good place to start.

The whole point is the phones were being sold for cheaper but you had to see ads. If you don't want ads then buy it at full price.

[Ryujin2003]

2 minutes ago, AdoptedAsian said:

The whole point is the phones were being sold for cheaper but you had to see ads. If you don't want ads then buy it at full price.

I totally get that, and I'm not arguing against needing a cheap phone nor against a company having to find ways to offset cost of services. (I call this a service because it's for Prime subscribers only). I'm super stoked it's going away, but felt concerned it was a thing to begin with. It's like they are capitalizing on either those who just wanted a cheap phone for no reason (not that big a deal) or on those who honestly cannot afford anything "mainstream". You get what you can afford, but I feel like having your phone be used for advertising is a bit invasive and takes advantage of the customer.

 

Again, I get the consumer weighing the pros and cons. But it still doesn't make Amazon's implementation any more or less ethically/morally acceptable.

[goodtofufriday]

6 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

I totally get that, and I'm not arguing against needing a cheap phone nor against a company having to find ways to offset cost of services. (I call this a service because it's for Prime subscribers only). I'm super stoked it's going away, but felt concerned it was a thing to begin with. It's like they are capitalizing on either those who just wanted a cheap phone for no reason (not that big a deal) or on those who honestly cannot afford anything "mainstream". You get what you can afford, but I feel like having your phone be used for advertising is a bit invasive and takes advantage of the customer.

 

Again, I get the consumer weighing the pros and cons. But it still doesn't make Amazon's implementation any more or less ethically/morally acceptable.

Ive been on the side that it is Fine because you as a consumer are not forced to buy the phone with ads nor were you unaware of the ads prior to purchase. Amazon makes sure that you know the discounted phone is full of ads. 

 

[Jito463]

8 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

but I feel like having your phone be used for advertising is a bit invasive and takes advantage of the customer.

It's not taking advantage of anyone, if the individual is informed up front that they will be served ads on the lock screen.  If that aspect was hidden away in the agreement terms somewhere, then I would agree with you.  Given that it was prominently displayed on the sale page, I can't see how anyone can say they were taken advantage of.  I'd never use it, but if someone was willing to make the trade off, then more power to them.

[AdoptedAsian]

8 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

I totally get that, and I'm not arguing against needing a cheap phone nor against a company having to find ways to offset cost of services. (I call this a service because it's for Prime subscribers only). I'm super stoked it's going away, but felt concerned it was a thing to begin with. It's like they are capitalizing on either those who just wanted a cheap phone for no reason (not that big a deal) or on those who honestly cannot afford anything "mainstream". You get what you can afford, but I feel like having your phone be used for advertising is a bit invasive and takes advantage of the customer.

 

Again, I get the consumer weighing the pros and cons. But it still doesn't make Amazon's implementation any more or less ethically/morally acceptable.

The buyer is fully aware of the ads and they have plenty of other options. If they want something mainstream but can't afford it then Amazon won't be selling them a discounted phone for no reason. If the buyer doesn't like ads then they can just not buy it. This is just another option people can take if they want to and it's up to them whether they want to or not. If all Amazon phones were sold with ads or without the buyer's knowledge then it'd be unethical in my opinion.

[DocSwag]

So basically you get like 5% of money and have to deal with ads in return?

 

Uh, no thank you.

[Commodus]

19 minutes ago, DocSwag said:

So basically you get like 5% of money and have to deal with ads in return?

 

Uh, no thank you.

Past tense.  As of tomorrow they don't ship with ads, and those that do will have the ads removed.

[Ryujin2003]

22 minutes ago, DocSwag said:

So basically you get like 5% of money and have to deal with ads in return?

 

Uh, no thank you.

It was, but they decided against it because it interferes with cameras and finger prints.

[DocSwag]

25 minutes ago, Commodus said:

Past tense.  As of tomorrow they don't ship with ads, and those that do will have the ads removed.

 

22 minutes ago, Ryujin2003 said:

It was, but they decided against it because it interferes with cameras and finger prints.

Well it looks like I'm blind...

[Ryujin2003]

1 hour ago, DocSwag said:

 

Well it looks like I'm blind...

Totally fine. I take it you wouldn't have wanted one with the full time ads on lock screen?