Official: Apple is bringing ads to the iPhone
Apple has announced that it is introducing advertisements into the Apple Maps app. Initially, registration is open to businesses in the US and Canada, marking a shift in the company's long-standing strategy.
Source: Apple
We have become accustomed to thinking of Apple devices as a bastion of privacy and an ad-free environment, at least within the company's built-in applications. However, a new move by the Cupertino giant signals a change in direction that may alter the user experience, starting with one of its most well-known apps.
Ads are on the way
Apple has announced that companies and businesses will now be able to advertise themselves in the Apple Maps app, a competitor to mapping services like Google Maps and Waze. According to reports in the American media, Apple is opening registration in the first phase for businesses in the United States and Canada, though it remains unclear when it plans to expand to other markets.
It is important to note that while Apple is opening its advertising system to businesses, this does not mean users will see ads immediately. Nevertheless, it is a significant step toward the entry of ads into an Apple app, which will appear in two ways. The first involves suggestions for places in the search window before a user enters a destination. The second involves integrating businesses relevant to the user's search query alongside organic, non-sponsored results.
Apple has not yet updated when it will officially begin integrating the ads, but it is currently attempting to attract advertisers with discounted rates for those who sign up within the next two months. Even before placing a single ad, Apple emphasizes in a dedicated document its approach to advertising—one it claims is different from its competitors:
«Privacy of users is at the heart of everything we do, including advertising».
The company stresses that it will not sell, purchase, or use user data for advertising purposes. Whether this will hinder its advertising efforts remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that this is a new revenue stream the company is testing, which may further increase the share of services and software in its total revenue.
