Apple is reportedly planning to feature ads in its maps app.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is exploring the idea of monetising Apple Maps by showing ads.
This is not the first time the tech giant has come up with such a plan. In 2022, Gurman reported the same, stating that Apple might integrate ads into Apple Maps.
However, the company did not move forward with the plan at that time. Now, Apple might revisit the plan, though no engineering work has started yet, indicating that ads in Apple Maps may still be some time away.
According to a new report, Apple recently held an all-hands meeting with the Maps team, where the idea of monetising the app was discussed. However, no active development is currently underway, and Apple has not provided a timeline for when—or if—these features might be introduced.
Unlike traditional banner ads, Apple’s approach would focus on paid search results. For example, a fast food chain could pay to appear at the top of search results when users look for terms like "burgers" or "fries", as explained by Gurman.
This model is already widely used by competing apps such as Google Maps. Apple currently employs a similar ad strategy in the App Store, where developers can pay to promote their apps in search results. If Apple proceeds with ads in Maps, it could further boost the company's service revenue, aligning with its ongoing efforts to expand its advertising business.