Dive Brief:
- Apple plans to roll out a functionality that will allow marketers in the U.S. and Canada to post ads on Maps starting this summer, according to a press release. The ads will appear when consumers use the search function in the app, as well as a new Suggested Places functionality.
- The ad option is part of a new Apple Business platform, which is set to roll out on April 14 in more than 200 regions and countries, and is meant to connect businesses with consumers in Maps, Mail, Wallet, Siri and other Apple products.
- These development reflect ongoing efforts by Apple to expand its fledgling advertising business. In the company’s first financial quarter of 2026, service revenue hit $30 billion, a 14% year-over-year increase, with advertising revenue hitting an all-time high, according to a January earnings transcript.
Dive Insight:
There are approximately 1.6 billion iPhone users globally, with 158 million in the U.S. While Apple’s highly engaged mobile audience has been of great interest to marketers, Apple has been slow to embrace ads. However, as services revenue continues to grow, advertising is proving to be a valuable part of Apple’s overall business. The latest Maps ads offering comes a year after the company rebranded Search Ads to Apple Ads, suggesting a bigger focus on advertising.
Ads on Maps was designed using the company’s privacy-forward advertising approach, according to press materials. Notably, consumer location and the ads individuals see and interact with are not associated with individual Apple Accounts. Personal data is also not collected by Apple or shared with third parties.
Businesses will need to claim their location on Maps in order to advertise on the platform. Once the feature is live, marketers will have access to an automated advertising creation experience. Current Apple Ads users will also be able to use Ads on Maps through the existing service, giving them access to further customization options.
In addition to new advertising options, Apple Business will have functionality previously available via Apple Business Connect. This includes brand profiles, location insights, Tap to Pay, branded communications, place cards and other services.
Google has offered ads in its Maps platform for years with reports suggesting revenue in the billions of dollars. While the two companies are competitors, they’ve also been known to collaborate in some areas. In January, Apple and Google announced a multi-year partnership to use Google’s Gemini model to power Apple Intelligence, the company’s personal AI system. This will allow Apple to create a more personalized Siri assistant and other features.
Apple saw a first quarter of the 2026 fiscal year revenue of $143.76 billion, a 15.65% year-over-year increase.
