Apple Announces Ads Are Coming to Apple Maps

[cateye]

The worst part about this is Apple's privacy theater marketing nonsense makes it less effective for the end user.

If I'm going to be subject to advertising in something as basic as a maps app, then fine—let's hyper target that advertising to make sure it's applicable to my needs. Give it contextual significance—I'm still going to hate it, but maybe it will efficiently connect me to a business or service that I actually need at that point in time.

Apple's approach undercuts the effectiveness of the sold ads, and therefore can only achieve two things: Maximize their own revenue while harming the utility of their user experience. It's design-by-spreadsheet and literally the worst possible outcome.

Apple's services revenue is now second only to the iPhone. it's become this tremendous profit hedge against unpredictable product costs, tariffs, and other unforeseen threats. It's also had a remarkably negative effect on Apple's judgement.

 

[tuckerjj]

This is good for the user experience how?

 

[LionTeeth]

well? how do you expect Maps to get better if you don't have any money to pay for the improvements?

maybe stop complaining and enjoy new features you'll get that is paid for from the ads you can just mentally ignore. it's not hard.

$4 billion in liquid cash lolll
Gimme a break

They're doing this because of "#infinitegrowth!!" The markets demand. It's silly.

 

[BehemothManiac]

I give Apple Maps a chance about every 6 months.
I guess I don't have to do it anymore.

 

[chachawpi]

Ads no one will see because... Apple Maps.

 

[FatLouie]

"Your iMessage is just as private as it was before - we never sell your messages or contacts to anyone!"

"This message was brought to you by Carls Jr".

Fast forward 5 years and this non-sense will be across all Apple Services.

Yep, at that point users might as well migrate to Microsoft to at least have control over the hardware in their computer. I use Debian on my other box, sort of nice having some control over the hardware.

 

[hieranonymous]

Even the mock-up of the ad experience gives me the ick. I use Apple products and services to avoid this noise.

 

[OnePieceIsReal]

Apple fails again. As it is, Apple Maps is about the worst of the available options, and I do not use it, so the impact on me is pretty much zero. But, Apple has become the equivalent of Google in business practise.

No honor left at Apple.

I disagree on that Apple Maps to me at least been a nicer experience than Google Maps

 

[Kylo83]

most people use Waze or google maps, never wanted to use Apple Maps

 

[canadianreader]

I hope this will be exclusive to liquid glass and not iOS 18

 

[Prof.]

I kinda can't wait for ol Timmy to retire.

I don't claim to be an expert in business, but I don't think it's entirely Tim Cook; rather it's the shareholders.

 

[hieranonymous]

Ads no one will see because... Apple Maps.

I used to think this but Apple Maps is actually fairly popular simply because most people never bother to use anything beside the default app on their phones. I use Google Maps personally but a lot of people don’t know the difference or simply don’t care.

 

[S.B.G]

So what... Apple isn't raking in enough revenue from their services? How many more billions do they need from annoying us with more advertising?

 

[steviewondercansee]

$4 billion in liquid cash lolll

you pointing that out exactly proves my point lolll

 

[morningsong]

What an awful decision.
Apple is dying right in front of us and all we can do is watch.

 

[vanishing]

On one hand celebrating 50 years of Apple, on the other, destroying everything that made it great.

Jobs: Insanely great
Cook: Greatly insane

 

[Kylo83]

apple used to be classy and premium, this is turning into something bad, we pay a lot for apple products and now this

 

[cipher29]

Yes, Apple should offer its services for free. How dare they charge their users!

These services are part of the value of buying Apple devices - they advertise these devices as such.

 

[Biro]

I’ll have to see how intrusive these ads are. 98 percent of the searches I run in Maps are for residential addresses. If I find the ads to be a problem, I’ll check out the TomTom app.

 

[steviewondercansee]

This is bad and Apple should feel bad.

how do you expect Apple to pay for Maps?

 

[icwhatudidthere]

This is what 25 years of Mac OS X has led to?

 

[richierichie]

Apple feeling sad.
Apple counts trillions more bucks = happy.

 

[chachawpi]

I used to think this but Apple Maps is actually fairly popular simply because most people never bother to use anything beside the default app on their phones. I use Google Maps personally but a lot of people don’t know the difference or simply don’t care.

Internet Explorer was popular in the late 90s for a similar reason. We all remember what happened there.

 

[joe_joe]

We're a solid lover of the "Apple One" subscription, and I've been a happy customer. However Apple beginning to sell ads creates incentives to separate me from my privacy with targeted ads.

Where can I complain? If I am paying for a service, I don't want ads. Period. If I can't get an ad free experience, I'm going to take my money else where.

 

[RealKeishav]

There are ads in app store. How is it different than that?