Apple is reportedly going to show more ads in the built-in apps on iPhones and other devices. The move indicates that Apple will expand its fast-growing advertising business.
According to a report by Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, Apple will display more ads in its default applications such as Maps, Books, Podcasts, and others which are currently still ad-free. Apple is said to have been testing a search on Maps that will show recommendations when users search for restaurants, shops, or other businesses in the vicinity.
Apple has implemented a similar advertising system in the App Store, where developers can pay to promote their apps on search pages for certain keywords, such as 'puzzle games' or 'photo editors'.
Gurman reports that ads on Maps will work the same way, where businesses can pay to appear in the top search results when users search for certain keywords.
In addition to Maps, Gurman believes Apple will also introduce ads in the Podcasts and Books applications. So publishers can place ads in specific areas of the app, or pay to have their content shown in the top search results.
Apple will also show more ads in the App Store. Currently the App Store is already showing ads in the Search tab, and Gurman said Apple will expand its scope to the Today tab and app download pages.
The presence of more ads in the App Store has been detected since the last few months. 9to5Mac previously reported that ads in the Today tab would appear in a larger size with 'Ad' under the app name, while ads on individual app pages would be highlighted in blue in the 'You Might Also Like' section.
Gurman also said that Apple has the potential to introduce ads on the Apple TV Plus streaming service. It is likely that Apple TV Plus will come with a cheaper subscription fee but interspersed with advertisements, as will be done by Netflix and Disney Plus, as quoted from The Verge, Monday (15/8/2022).
Apple first introduced ads in the App Store in 2016, and also displays ads in the Stocks and News apps. Since introducing its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy last year, advertising has become one of Apple's most profitable businesses.
ATT gives users the option to turn off tracking tools that advertisers use to show targeted ads. This policy has made Apple's advertising business grow rapidly, while competitors such as Meta are in a quandary. According to data from the firm Omdia, Apple's advertising business will grow 238% to USD 3.7 billion in 2021.