Apple Considered Purchasing AdMob?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/11/16/apple-considered-purchasing-admob/)

Bloomberg reports (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=afcIzFP3iNrY) that Apple is reported to have approached mobile advertising firm AdMob about a possible acquisition just prior Google's announcement (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/11/09/google-to-acquire-mobile-advertising-firm-admob/) that it had agreed to purchase the company for $750 million in stock.AdMob Inc. was approached by Apple Inc. about an acquisition before the company agreed to a $750 million offer from Google Inc., according to people familiar with the matter.

Apple contacted AdMob a few weeks before Google made its bid, said one of the people, who declined to be identified because the negotiations weren't public.It is unclear from the report's sources the extent of Apple's seriousness regarding the potential offer, but any interest at all on Apple's part appears to reveal that the company has considered moving beyond its traditional hardware and software offerings onto Google's turf of online and mobile application advertising.Buying AdMob would have allowed Apple to expand into online advertising, a strategy that Nokia Oyj is pursuing, Weide said.

"If a lot of traffic goes through my devices, why can't I become the middleman that serves ads against that inventory?" Weide said. "AdMob would have allowed them to do that quickly."Following on the heels of news that Apple is hiring iPhone game developers (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/11/14/apple-hiring-an-iphone-game-developer-getting-even-more-serious-about-gaming/), Apple may be looking to move beyond simply providing the tools and infrastructure that have fed the iPhone's success and begin enhanced efforts to pursue its own App Store content and other revenue streams associated with the applications available in the store.

Article Link: Apple Considered Purchasing AdMob? (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/11/16/apple-considered-purchasing-admob/)

[edesignuk]

As if they don't control enough already.

We decide what carrier you get your handset on, we decide what apps you get to use, we decide what/how you are served ads.

No great loss for iPhone users IMO.

[Mykbibby]

Perhaps this could have to do with the Steve Jobs Mac OS built-in advertising patent?

[ChazUK]

Very interesting. Are there any big alternative suppliers Apple can pursue instead of admob?

[thejadedmonkey]

Isn't AdMob the company that most developers use to place ads in their programs? So wouldn't that make Apple the ad-supplier, gatekeeper, and device manufacturer? Is that sort of practice (vertical integration I think it's called?) even legal?

[guzhogi]

Very interesting. Are there any big alternative suppliers Apple can pursue instead of admob?

Google comes to mind.




Obviously, this is a little too big. Plus, think how mad Microsoft will be.

[inkswamp]

We decide what carrier you get your handset on, we decide what apps you get to use, we decide what/how you are served ads.

Save the drama. :rolleyes:

Given Apple's general philosophy of non-intrusive UI design, I would take them as an ad server over others any day. Wouldn't you love to see a ban on animated, flashing, dancing ads?

[DipDog3]

Really, why? Google buying AdMob I can see that happening.

Apple will just create their own ad system and have it included in XCode.

[kzin]

I believe that's supposed to be "Nokia Ovi" not "Oyj".

[notstevelam]

Save the drama. :rolleyes:

Given Apple's general philosophy of non-intrusive UI design, I would take them as an ad server over others any day. Wouldn't you love to see a ban on animated, flashing, dancing ads?

and what do animated flashing dancing ads have anything to do with the iphone?

[ChazUK]

I believe that's supposed to be "Nokia Ovi" not "Oyj".
I think the Oyj means that it is a "public stock company": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osakeyhtiö

[stujmac26]

I believe that's supposed to be "Nokia Ovi" not "Oyj".

Nokia Oyj is the full name of the listed company - Oyj is the Finnish equivalent of a Limited Company (LLC, Ltd, etc)

You learn something new every day :)

[ChazUK]

Wouldn't you love to see a ban on animated, flashing, dancing ads?

Have there been many "animated, flashing, dancing ads" on the mobile platforms so far?

Every Admob ad I've seen has been a simple graphic.

[stujmac26]

I think the Oyj means that it is a "public stock company": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osakeyhtiö

Beaten to it!

[kzin]

You learn something new every day :)

Indeed. Thanks for the correction(s) :-)

[inkswamp]

Have there been many "animated, flashing, dancing ads" on the mobile platforms so far?

Every Admob ad I've seen has been a simple graphic.

All it would to take is for advertisers to demand it and you'll start seeing it. Would be nice to have a company in the mix that has a record of not caving in to demands like that.

[nwcs]

Isn't AdMob the company that most developers use to place ads in their programs? So wouldn't that make Apple the ad-supplier, gatekeeper, and device manufacturer? Is that sort of practice (vertical integration I think it's called?) even legal?

Why wouldn't it be legal? If people don't like it there are many other devices and plans to choose from.

[alent1234]

Really, why? Google buying AdMob I can see that happening.

Apple will just create their own ad system and have it included in XCode.


then there is the small detail of deploying tens of thousands of servers with the right software to run the backend

[etoiles]

Also remember that Admob doesn't just serve ads, they also collect a ton of iphone (and other) usage data... which is all in the hands of google, now, who you might have noticed is trying to compete with the iPhone.

[LagunaSol]

then there is the small detail of deploying tens of thousands of servers with the right software to run the backend

You don't think Apple is capable of this (iTunes Store)?

[Nuvi]

This is something I don't want from Apple. Efficient advertising? OS integrated advertising? Apple being the gate keeper of all on their mobile platform? No thank you...

[alent1234]

You don't think Apple is capable of this (iTunes Store)?


apple will have to steal the people from Google or AdMob who know how to write the back end software. Don't know the whole history of AdMob, but Google bought DoubleClick a few years ago just for this and I remember reading that AdSense was another buyout.

it takes years to write and debug software like this

[iPhoney:)]

Apple should buy Yahoo, end of story! Google's tentacles are in just about every nook and cranny of the internet, it's time someone gave them a run for their money :apple:

[redgaz26]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Apple should buy Yahoo, end of story! Google's tentacles are in just about every nook and cranny of the internet, it's time someone gave them a run for their money :apple:

Yeah. "Yapple" sounds great!!!!!!!!

[redgaz26]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Or maybe apphoo!!!

[Rot'nApple]

Say it ain't so...

There is enough ads out there already. I hate when my mouse pointer travels across a story and inadvertently runs across a link that triggers an ad. The internet is becoming absolutely disgusting that way.

Apple doesn't want all that billboard sticker advertising as one would fine on the palm rest of a PC laptop, I don't want the iPhone and associated apps heading in that direction!

So, please Apple, if you are reading this, although you did not purchase AdMob, please don't head down that road! Please....

[hugo7]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Or maybe apphoo!!!

Which is not too far (pronunciation wise) from a-pooh.

I think NOT.

[thejadedmonkey]

Why wouldn't it be legal? If people don't like it there are many other devices and plans to choose from.

A long time ago- we're talking about pre 1950's I think, the film studios got in trouble because they controlled the production, distribution, and theaters. There was more then one studio, but because they controlled the entire chain it was deemed illegal, and that is why we have independently owned (ie not studio owned) theaters.

[TheSlush]

Say it ain't so...

There is enough ads out there already.... The internet is becoming absolutely disgusting that way.... I don't want the iPhone and associated apps heading in that direction!

Maybe Apple was going to buy AdMob just to shut it down, lol. :D

[milbournosphere]

This news, coupled with this news:
http://apple.slashdot.org/story/09/11/16/1431201/Apple-Patents-Enforceable-Ad-Viewing-On-Devices?art_pos=9
is just plain scary. I, for one, welcome our new interactive ad peddling overlords.

[hagjohn]

I do not want ads on my iPhone.

[Prom1]

I do not want ads on my iPhone.

Depending on your app you already have it, and just don't know it yet.

Really, why? Google buying AdMob I can see that happening.

Apple will just create their own ad system and have it included in XCode.

It's a PERFECT forward thinking marriage.

Why:
1) Admob online, mobile application, and even mobile site ads are increasing exponentially.
2) Admob adds for applications are growing inside MANY OS applicaitons:
iPhone, Symbian (current S60 5th Ed. & future: Nokia specifically has slides promoting its use since Nokia World 2008 last November for Latin American markets), and Blackberry.
3) This enabled Apple to have programmers OP'd - based on feedback - by use the users of iPod Touch/iPhone to NOT have ad's in our applications.

I find it INCREASINGLY annoying & disconcerting that the latest trend is for games to be offered free, have a system where proper enjoyment is to have us use our credit cards to uptake energy/mana/power etc (in app purchases) and yet STILL bombad us with imbedded ads!! They get paid twice?!

Screw that I want Apple to own it as another revenue stream which will grow into the future (beyond their own platform) and give us the option NOT to have it on our prefered platform: Touch OS.

Why else do you think Google wants Admob?! To leverage their online search ads/revenue to increase exponentially and as a revenue stream augmentation with increasing online search revenue competition from Yahoo/Microsoft/etc.

Watch what happens to Admob use come 2yrs in the future - it'll be mind boggling!

[Prom1]

Apple should buy Yahoo, end of story! Google's tentacles are in just about every nook and cranny of the internet, it's time someone gave them a run for their money :apple:

Considering the HUGE recent uptake of mobile surfing, smartphone growth, and increases of mobile site creations for multiple platforms in the past 2yrs - "the internet" will be Mobile before too long and increasingly coded for in tandem with standard HTML sites. I'm not refereing to WML or xhtml here either.

Apple should buy Yahoo, end of story! Google's tentacles are in just about every nook and cranny of the internet, it's time someone gave them a run for their money :apple:

I agree - but the real monetary value comes with users purchasing apps that are payable by providers coffers when credit cards or vouchers are not an option - including countries where an Apple Store is not present (Europe/South Africa/Argentina/Brazil/Columbia/etc).

The potential for Admob to be not only on the standard internet, blogs, personal web pages, but ALSO imbedded in mobile applications for just about all major OS' on the market: this is where Apple could put much foot up Google's arse!!

RIM: Blackberry
Apple: iPhone (prefer not!)
Nokia: Maemo 5
Nokia, Samsung (no their not abandoning, although press misquoted), Vodafone, Orange, TIM, etc): Symbian OS
oh yeah and Google's: Android.

[twoodcc]

they should have done it. but too late now

[gianpan]

Save the drama. :rolleyes:

Given Apple's general philosophy of non-intrusive UI design, I would take them as an ad server over others any day. Wouldn't you love to see a ban on animated, flashing, dancing ads?

What do you mean as an ad server? Like google adsense?

No thanks, they would like to keep 90% of my profits probably.

[sammich]

Apple should be taking steps to move into traditional Google territory since Google has been moving into 'territory' that Apple's has been but were held back because of Google having board members at Apple.

[ChazUK]

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Apple should be taking steps to move into traditional Google territory since Google has been moving into 'territory' that Apple's has been but were held back because of Google having board members at Apple.

I think Google are far more likely to eat into Microsoft marketshare rather than Apple.

Chrome OS will most likely eat into Windows marketshare if its successful as a part of the Apple experience is a Mac + OSX. How many people will buy a Mac and use Chrome OS exclusively on it?

The Smartphone segment is more likely to eat into Microsoft and others. If you want an iPhone you can only use iPhone OS. Unless Google came out with a build of Android that could be flashed to the iPhone then the iPhone is safe from Android.

The Mac lineup is safe unless Google start producing highly stylized hardware (we all know Apple engineer some of the most astheticly pleasing computers compared to most oems).

The only space where I see Google stepping on Apple's toes is in the browser market but once again, Microsoft have more to lose here with the IE marketshare compared to Apple.

The press may have portrayed Google and Apple tensions recently but I think the two companies are getting on just fine.

It's Microsoft who have the uphill struggle against Google, not Apple. (Windows, Windows Mobile, Bing, Internet Explorer etc)

[inkswamp]

And for those of you who mocked my comment that I wish Apple had bought it so it would be controlled by a company that valued user experience and reduce the chance we'd start seeing obnoxious ads on the iPhone... here's your moment of zen. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=822034)

[ChazUK]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 1.5; en-gb; HTC Hero Build/CUPCAKE) AppleWebKit/528.5+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.2 Mobile Safari/525.20.1)

And for those of you who mocked my comment that I wish Apple had bought it so it would be controlled by a company that valued user experience and reduce the chance we'd start seeing obnoxious ads on the iPhone... here's your moment of zen. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=822034)

Apple could always block such ads if they wanted to. They do have the final say on what gets released.

I would really commend them if they made such a move.

[scottyt31]

SMS Media Group competes in mobile marketing :)