Apple Maps Ads Coming Soon? Inside Apple’s Next Big Push Into Advertising

Apple might soon turn your Maps app into more than just a navigation tool. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company is getting ready to roll out ads inside Apple Maps as early as next year  marking a major step in its growing digital advertising business.

In his Power On newsletter, Gurman revealed that Apple’s long-discussed plan to bring ads beyond the App Store is finally gaining momentum. The idea is to give businesses a way to appear more prominently in Maps search results upon paying Apple.

Apple reportedly wants to do this in a more “Apple-like” way - subtle, clean, and smart. Gurman says the company is designing a better interface than what Google Maps or Waze currently offer using AI.
But that’s where things get tricky. Apple has built its reputation on privacy and a premium, ad-free experience. The company has spent years positioning itself as the “anti-Google,” even running campaigns saying, “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone.”

Now, the question that any Apple user could ask is that if they’ve already paid a hefty amount for the iPhone, why should they see ads at all?

This is the tightrope Apple has to walk. On one hand, its services division, which includes Apple TV+, Music, and App Store ads, is a massive revenue driver. On the othe hand, every new ad risks making the iPhone feel less “premium” and more like any other device trying to sell you stuff.

If Apple can make these ads genuinely useful, say, highlighting a great coffee shop nearby rather than just whoever pays the most, users might accept it. But if it starts to feel like another digital billboard, Apple could face a backlash from loyal fans who expect more privacy, not more promotions.

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