Apple is planning to start showing ads in the Apple Maps app this summer, and signs of ads have already shown up in the iOS 26.5 beta as Apple prepares to roll them out.
Where Ads Show Up
Ads will be displayed in the Apple Maps search interface. Depending on the search, relevant ads will be shown first in search results.
Apple is also implementing a new Suggested Places feature in Maps that will show recommendations based on what's trending nearby and the user's recent searches.
Suggested Places
The Maps app is getting a Suggested Places feature that recommends locations to visit based on trending places that are around you and your recent Maps searches. Ads will be shown in Suggested Places.
No Opt-Out
Similar to ads in the App Store, there will be no option to turn off ads in Apple Maps. Ads will be displayed for all users in the U.S. and Canada.
Countries
Ads will be shown in Apple Maps in the United States and Canada first, and could expand to other countries in the future.
Platforms
Ads will be displayed in the Maps app on iPhone and iPad.
What Ads Look Like
Apple says that ads in Maps will be clearly marked as ads with an "Ad" label, similar to how ads show up in the App Store search results.
Businesses will be able to bid for ad placement, which is how ads in the App Store work. The highest bidder for a given term will have their ad shown in the app.
Privacy
Your location and ads that you see and interact with in the Maps app are not associated with your Apple Account, and the data is not shared with third parties.
Beta Testing
Apple is laying the groundwork for Maps ads in the iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 betas. There's an ads splash screen in the Maps app along with underlying ad code, but ads are not yet live.
Launch Date
Apple only said "summer" for the ads launch. "Summer" in the Northern Hemisphere starts on June 21 and ends on September 22. iOS 26.5 is likely to launch in late May or early June, and it's possible ads will be tied to the update.
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