January 8, 2026, 3:22 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Apple’s Dynamic Island, the display area around the camera module on the front, was introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro to show so-called live activities. In everyday use, this can be practical—advertising, however, is explicitly not meant to be there.
But this boundary was apparently crossed temporarily by the language learning provider Duolingo. According to user reports, including on Reddit, a “Super Offer” with a countdown appeared in the Dynamic Island, advertising a discounted subscription. Apple has clearly prohibited such use in its developer guidelines for years. TECHBOOK has inquired with Apple but has not yet received a response.
Clear Rules from Apple
Apple explicitly prohibits advertising in live activities. The developer guidelines state: “Do not use live activities to display advertisements or promotions. Live activities help users stay informed about ongoing events and tasks. Therefore, it is important to display only information related to these events and tasks.”
How Duolingo was able to bypass this regulation is still unclear. The advertisement seems to have disappeared from the Dynamic Island in the meantime. Whether it was a short-term test or a deliberately limited action cannot be conclusively determined. Duolingo is known for such A/B tests and increasingly relies on automated and AI-supported functions, which has already led to criticism from users in the past. As a result, alternative language learning offerings like Lingonaut have emerged.
Also of interest: Apple Wants to Bring Advertising to Its Maps App
Advertising via Notification Remains a Gray Area
Advertising through traditional iOS notifications has long been a source of discontent. Apple initially prohibited such content but later allowed exceptions. The guidelines now allow “marketing or promotional content,” provided users have explicitly agreed to it. However, there is no central setting to generally reject advertising messages. App providers also do not have to prove that this consent actually exists.
How Apple evaluates the incident and whether it will have consequences for Duolingo is currently open. The company has not yet publicly commented on it. Whether it is a one-time violation, a test, or a rule breach with possible consequences remains unclear.