Apple is planning to include ads in Apple Maps search results (possibly this summer), Bloomberg reports. The company is reportedly aiming to boost revenue from its services division and could announce plans for ads in Maps as soon as this month.
Ads on Apple Maps are expected to be similar to those on Google Maps. Retailers and brands will be able to bid on ads related to search categories. For example, Starbucks could show an ad when someone searches for coffee. Restaurants will be able to bid on search terms, and the ads of the highest bidder will appear at the top of results for a given term.
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Apple is said to be planning to display ads in the app for iPhone, Mac, iPad , and the web. Rumors of ads in the Maps app have been circulating since last year, but now it seems we're very close to the launch.
Ads on Apple Maps to increase revenue
Ad revenue could offset current and future changes to the App Store, which could limit how much money Apple makes. Additionally, there are concerns about potentially losing search deals with Google due to ongoing regulatory issues.
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In January, Apple said it would also show ads in search results App Store starting March 3, expanding the number of ad slots in search. App Store searches previously showed just one ad, but Apple is rolling out multiple ad slots. Apple first expanded App Store ads to the UK and Japan and will bring them to other markets like the US by the end of March.
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The company also upgraded its advertising business from “Search Ads” to “Apple Ads” last year as part of its plan to show ads in more places.
