Apple is considering introducing ads to its native Maps app

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-02-16/apple-and-meta-are-set-to-battle-over-new-area-humanoid-robots-m77mwid3

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads - MacRumors
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/02/16/apple-maps-might-start-showing-ads/

Also in Power On: Apple explores monetizing Maps, details on its upcoming new Mac Studio Display, why it brought TV+ to Android thoughts, on its Vision Pro software refresh and much more https://t.co/43hYWXYe8p

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) February 16, 2025

Gurman also reported in 2022 that 'Apple is developing software to display ads in its native map app,' but Apple changed its policy at that time and ads were not included. On February 16, 2025, Gurman reported that 'Apple is again considering the idea of displaying ads in its native map app.' Unlike last time, this time development work has not yet begun and it will not be introduced immediately.

According to Gurman, the type of advertising Apple is considering is so-called 'search advertising.' For example, a fast food chain could advertise so that its restaurant would appear at the top of the results when a user searches for 'hamburger' or 'fries.' Search advertising is a common type of advertising in map apps, and is already implemented in map apps such as Google Maps, Waze, and Yelp.

Apple itself has already implemented search ads in its App Store, where ad space promoting apps is displayed based on users' search keywords.


If advertising is introduced to the Maps app, Apple's services revenue is expected to increase further.