Apple Reportedly Moving Ahead With Ads in Maps App

Apple Maps could feature integrated ads as soon as next year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

iOS 26 Maps Glass
In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple's plan to bring more ads to iOS is moving "gaining traction," with the Maps app being next in line. The project will apparently give restaurants and other businesses the option to pay to have their details featured more prominently in search.

The system is said to be similar to Search Ads in the App Store, which allows developers to pay to have their software appear in a promoted slot above other results for relevant queries. Apple's approach reportedly leverages AI to deliver relevant and useful results, in a better interface than similar offerings from Google and other companies. Gurman warned that the move risks some amount of consumer backlash.

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Top Rated Comments

mihighil Avatar
15 weeks ago
Paying premium prices and still getting ads, amazing!
Score: 157 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AlexESP Avatar
15 weeks ago
If that’s the case, I’m reportedly moving away from Apple Maps.
Score: 129 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMG35 Avatar
15 weeks ago
Clearly there is never enough money for Apple. They are moving more and more to the Google model every year.
Score: 109 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMG35 Avatar
15 weeks ago

Innovation is very expensive. Apple needs to keep making more money to drive investments in the technologies of the future that will unlock all our potential.
When they start innovating again let me know.
Score: 103 Votes (Like | Disagree)
appledos Avatar
15 weeks ago
Inevitably this will drive more traffic to restaurant and service chains and away from the local small businesses that already struggle to compete. It's sad to see Apple stacking the deck against its own users.
Score: 98 Votes (Like | Disagree)
froot1988 Avatar
15 weeks ago
steve said in one of the keynotes that apple builds products and software they use themselves and they dont like ads "so lets dont have ads".
Score: 98 Votes (Like | Disagree)