I'll be real with you, I'm not the biggest fan of Apple Maps. I don't like the interface, the directions it gives me, or the fact it's only available on iPhones — which I tend not to use for everyday phone stuff. There are a few things I do like about the app, though, like the emphasis on privacy and the fact that it doesn't feature any advertising. Sadly one of those is reportedly on its way out.
Apple is sticking to its privacy promise, but according to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is considering adding adverts to Apple Maps at some point next year. Which is apparently all part of a wider plan to bring more ads to iOS.
How Apple Maps ads might work
Waze, for instance, has location-based advertising which lets the app show full-screen ads if (and only if) your car is completely stationary.
Gurman says that the plan is to put ads in the Maps search bar and let businesses pay to have their details "featured more prominently" to users. This will work similarly to ads in the App Store search bar, which lets developers pay to promote their software in relevant search queries.
It's reported that these sponsored results "will have a better interface than what Google and other companies offer," and that Apple will be using AI to try and make sure the ads are "relevant and useful."
Admittedly, the ads in Google Maps and Google-owned Waze can be rather intrusive and irritating to deal with. Especially since those ads are always evolving, and seemingly being pushed into your face more and more. Waze, for instance, has location-based advertising which lets the app show full-screen ads if (and only if) your car is completely stationary.
Google Maps started experimenting with adding advertising during navigation last year — something it had so far avoided. While these weren't supposed to pop up and potentially distract you from driving, it was just another way for Google to push more ads at you — as if all the other ads in Google Maps weren't enough.
Nobody wants to see more ads
The last thing Apple wants is to be seen as pushing too much advertising and making its platform more like Google. Google is, and always has been, an ad company — which is presumably why it can't stop crusading against ad blockers. Apple's money comes from the hardware and services, which is why iPhones haven't been quite so upfront with commercials so far. Well, that's aside from all the ads for Apple subscriptions that keep appearing. My iPhone 17 Pro recently flashed up a notification promising me a free trial to Apple Music, which I don't really want or need.
In fact, Gurman notes that people aren't happy about their iPhones being used to constantly advertise Apple's own services, so adding more ads to its apps does run the risk of increased user backlash.
It's all going to depend on how intrusive and obvious the ads actually are. Keeping them restricted to the search results would be a good start, since you won't be flooded with apps on the map itself. Plus, considering how intrusive Google Maps' search result ads are, aiming to do it better can only be a good thing.
But you know what would be better? Keeping Apple Maps completely ad-free. Considering Apple isn't short of cash right now, does it really need to overturn this service to try and eke out every last possible cent?
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