Apple Maps has never been considered the crème de la crème of navigation apps (that honor obviously goes to Google Maps), and now, if reports are correct, its user experience is about to get ads, reports Bloomberg.
Apple is preparing to introduce the change later this year, with an official announcement about it as soon as this month, sources tell Bloomberg. Ads could start appearing in the iOS Maps app sometime this summer.
Under the agreement, companies will bid for the opportunity to promote their businesses within the app in conjunction with relevant word searches. Maps users searching for restaurants, bars or shops could see, as top results, ads from businesses that won the bidding process, Bloomberg says.
Such a shift could represent a solid revenue driver for Apple. Google has included ads in its navigation app for years and Bing Maps also offers similar advertising ability with local business owners.
Reports of this possibility have been circulating for some time. In October, a similar report noted that the tech giant was considering such a plan. TechCrunch has reached out to Apple for more information.
Years ago, users complained about Maps for its limited functionality. However, Apple’s navigation app has made great strides in recent years, with new features such as integrations with consumer outlets such as the MICHELIN Guide and Golf Digest. Last summer, during WWDC, Maps introduced a new feature to provide more traffic data and context about daily commutes. It’s unclear how the integration of search term ads will affect features that users love, such as Apple’s privacy protection and location history widgetbut hopefully if the announcement of the ad arrives soon, we’ll know more about such things next.
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