Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Apple is "exploring" the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple Maps 2024
Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was "already underway" to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is "giving this notion more thought" again.

This time around, he said Apple has yet to start engineering work, so ads in the Apple Maps app might still be a ways away.

Ads in the Apple Maps app would not be the traditional banner ads that you see on websites, but rather paid search results. For example, a fast food chain could pay Apple to appear near the top of the results when a user searches for "burgers" or "fries." Many similar apps already offer search ads, including Google Maps, Waze, and Yelp.

Apple already displays search ads in the App Store, allowing developers to pay to promote their apps to users who search for relevant keywords.

Ads in the Apple Maps app would further boost Apple's services revenue.

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Top Rated Comments

surfzen21 Avatar
13 months ago
Absolutely NOT!!!!!!!!


Its the reason I use Apple Maps over Google Maps.

They do this and I'll just use Google Maps.

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Score: 166 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
13 months ago
Gross
Exactly what I do not want from Apple


Ads in the Apple Maps app would further boost Apple's services revenue.
Here's our problem folks ?
Score: 124 Votes (Like | Disagree)
n-evo Avatar
13 months ago
Because they’re not making enough money as it is.

Apple users are paying a premium on hardware so we’re not confronted with crap like this. I honestly don’t get why they’re giving the things up that differentiated themselves from the competition.
Score: 74 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheMacDaddy1 Avatar
13 months ago
So even less reason to stop using Google maps. Good move Apple.
Score: 67 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
13 months ago
greed with a capital G
Score: 63 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogue AI Avatar
13 months ago
Apple:
-has you pay $1K for a phone
-has you pay a subscription price each month for storage
-shows you ads.

At this point I feel like I can just go back to Samsung because it’ll be the same experience.
Score: 61 Votes (Like | Disagree)