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Apple to iPhone Developers: Geolocation Not to Be Used Solely for Ads

In a posting on its news page for iPhone developers earlier this week, Apple encouraged developers to integrate the Core Location framework into their apps, offering the ability to deliver information to users based on their location. Perhaps more importantly, Apple also clarified that the use of such geolocation solely for serving ads to users is not permitted.

If you build your application with features based on a user's location, make sure these features provide beneficial information. If your app uses location-based information primarily to enable mobile advertisers to deliver targeted ads based on a user's location, your app will be returned to you by the App Store Review Team for modification before it can be posted to the App Store.

Apple's exact motives for the restriction remain unclear, although some have speculated that Apple may be seeking to give Quattro Wireless, its own mobile advertising unit, a leg up on competitors such as AdMob. The restriction does not, however, prohibit all location-based advertising, instead requiring useful content to also be served using the technology. Users are typically required to confirm that they wish to allow an application to access their location, and thus it seems possible that Apple merely wishes to restrict such required user input to applications that are actually providing useful location-based information to users.

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Posted: 26 months ago
I don't think this is neccessarily any anti-competitive measure from Apple; personally I think it is about user satisfaction. Using geolocation requires the user to accept on the app's first launch. Ads are always detrimental to the experience - a neccessary evil in most cases - and as geolocation features have always been potentially a little controversial in the user privacy department, an app that solely gets ads from this information could be seen as an invasion of privacy. However, a user may overlook this potential privacy invasion if there is a good feature that makes use of it - this time accepting its use as a 'neccessary evil' by-product once more.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Posted: 26 months ago
While I'm no fan of targeted ads, this move by Apple comes as no surprise by me. More and more they seem to think they know better how the product or service that consumers pay for, should be used.

Go away nanny-fruit!
You're rotten!
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Posted: 26 months ago

While I'm no fan of targeted ads, this move by Apple comes as no surprise by me. More and more they seem to think they know better how the product or service consumers pay for, should be used.

Go away nanny-fruit!
You're rotten!


I completely disagree. Asking their devs to have at least SOME reason besides ad delivery to request geolocation isn't a lot to ask. Otherwise, every app would turn into a stupid spam-fest instead of focusing on quality. If I'm growing a virtual farm, for example, maybe something relating to local climate/crops would be a LOT more welcome than some "BUY ME NOW" banner tying up my precious screen real estate.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Posted: 26 months ago
THANK YOU APPLE!

I hope this statement carries weight though. I am so tired of apps asking to allow my location when it has NO effect on features within the app.

Until Apple puts their weight on this decision, I'll keep hitting the "No thanks" button.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Posted: 26 months ago
I like Apple's stance on location-based ads. Too often I'm looking at an ad-supported app (say FML), and although I get ads on the bottom i still get requests to allow access to my location. What kind of location does FML need? None. I use my location settings for things like GPS and news-related feeds, so having to bounce into the settings every time I open an app to disable/enable GPS is just not user-friendly.

Now, if FML wanted to give me posts near my location (for some ungodly reason) then I'd understand the GPS request.

Go Apple.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Posted: 26 months ago

I like Apple's stance on location-based ads. Too often I'm looking at an ad-supported app (say FML), and although I get ads on the bottom i still get requests to allow access to my location. What kind of location does FML need? None. I use my location settings for things like GPS and news-related feeds, so having to bounce into the settings every time I open an app to disable/enable GPS is just not user-friendly.

Now, if FML wanted to give me posts near my location (for some ungodly reason) then I'd understand the GPS request.

Go Apple.


I am sick and tired of apps showing just the ads to make money for impressions or clicks. I am so happy that Apple finally pulled these things out. I wanted to have a clean and good interface with usable state of features.

I even had an application which crashed due to a developer using AdMob service.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Posted: 26 months ago
Funny Apple has recent patents including geo-location based ads/offers popping up *if* you have contact info (or an app) from a business. So if you walk near a Starbucks, have an app already, you could get a coupon or something popping up on your device.

Is that better than targeted ads? Barely.

Is Apple trying to get more useful apps in the App store? Possibly.

Never forget there are two kinds of apps; System apps that can do anything Apple wants them to do, and App Store apps that have limits artificially placed on them by Apple.

Either way, Apple wins.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Posted: 26 months ago
*ahem* Apple is looking at YOU Textfree.

I always just click "No"
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Posted: 26 months ago

While I'm no fan of targeted ads, this move by Apple comes as no surprise by me.


Apple discourages a barrage of targeted ads, which you're against, yet you're against Apple for bringing it up. You can't have it both ways. Either you're ignorantly at war against everything Apple insists or you pick and choose your battles. Arguing against Apple's attempts to protect consumer experience in a product that Apple, itself, creates is not a battle I'd deem worth waging.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
Posted: 26 months ago
Solely, people... Solely. Location-based ads (which is what we're talking about here) have their place, and even Apple seems to be saying that. But if an app. uses location services purely or primarily as a means of pushing out ads, without any other useful features coming along from a user opting-in to allowing the app to use location services, then Apple doesn't want to see that. This seems like a good thing to me.
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