Apple Maps to introduce ads as Apple expands its advertising business

MUMBAI: Apple Maps is taking a new route to revenue, and this one comes with an ad marker. Apple has officially introduced advertising on Maps, with the feature set to roll out more widely in the coming weeks as the tech giant expands its advertising offering while retaining its privacy-focused approach.

The ads will appear in two places within the Maps app. Before a user searches, Suggested Places on the search screen can feature an advertisement. After a search, relevant ads can appear within the search results.

The sponsored listings will be identified with a blue “ad” icon, making them distinguishable from regular search results. The approach mirrors a format Google has used in its Maps service for several years.

Apple said the introduction of Maps ads will maintain the privacy protections users already have when using the service. According to Apple Newsroom, a user’s location and the ads they see or interact with in Maps are not associated with their Apple Account.

The company also said personal data remains on the user’s device and is not collected or stored by Apple or shared with third parties for the Maps advertising feature.

The move adds another advertising surface to Apple’s growing commercial ecosystem, bringing sponsored recommendations into an app where users are already searching for places and services.

Meanwhile, Apple’s attention is also turning towards its next major product event. The company is scheduled to hold its event on September 9 at 10 am PT (10:30 pm IST), where it is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 lineup.

The event will be available to watch live through YouTube, the Apple website and Apple TV. Apple is also expected to introduce a foldable smartphone, reportedly called the iPhone Ultra, although the supplied information does not confirm the product’s final name or launch details.