Apple Maps users may start seeing ads in the app in the future. According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple plans to introduce ads to its mapping service as soon as next year. This change is part of the brand’s greater push for more advertising in iOS.
Of course, this move did not come out of nowhere. Apple has been toying with the idea of adding ads to pre-installed apps for quite a while now. Now, it looks like the bitten fruit company is ready to move forward with its advertising efforts, starting with the navigation platform.
Based on the report, the advertising feature will work in a similar way to Search Ads in the App Store. Restaurants and other establishments will be able to pay for their information to be prominently shown in the search results. Additionally, the report claims that the Apple Maps version will have a “better interface”. At least, when compared to competing services by Google and other companies.
Aside from that, the tech giant will apparently make use of artificial intelligence to ensure the results remain “relevant and useful”. How well this will turn out remains to be seen, however, considering Apple’s struggles with the technology.
AI woes notwithstanding, the company has other potential issues to contend with. The average user does not delight in being bombarded with ads. Gurman noted the possibility of consumer backlash, especially since the brand has already turned the iPhone into a digital billboard of sorts for its services. And given the hefty price tag that comes with an iPhone, the move may seem like a tasteless money grab.
(Source: Bloomberg)
