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Apr 12, 2001
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In an unusual patent application filed in 2008, Apple explores the possibility of integrated ads into an operating system. The graphics provided even show how it might be integrated into Mac OS X (see above). In exchange for the ads, the user would receive some goods or service for free or discounted:Among other disclosures, an operating system presents one or more advertisements to a user and disables one or more functions while the advertisement is being presented. At the end of the advertisement, the operating system again enables the function(s). The advertisement can be visual or audible. The presentation of the advertisement(s) can be made as part of an approach where the user obtains a good or service, such as the operating system, for free or at reduced cost.In the late 90's, ad-suppprted products including getting free computers were offered to customers in exchange for viewing advertising, though the practice has since fallen out of favor. It's unclear if Apple had any real intentions for the concept, though Steve Jobs is listed as one of the inventors of the patent.

Of interest, Microsoft is reportedly working on an ad-supported version of Microsoft Office.

Article Link: Apple Exploring Ad-Supported Operating Systems?
 
it's amazing. the sales people at my company are having the same ideas - want to bundle ads with our software. it's amazing how blinded people can become from money...
 
I think the knee-jerk negative reaction is silly. It's obviously an optional thing.

I don't know how much sense it makes for an OS. But the idea seems to be that you would get the OS for free (for example). In the past, people could get whole computers for free. Would you accept a free Mac Mini if it had ads in it? Some people would.

In my mind it makes more sense for an application (like MS Office) where you might not use it enough to justify the spend, but might use it intermittently and not mind seeing an ad to use it for 30 minutes.

arn
 
Booooooooooo!!!!

All our post are proof that concept will be never implemented. Plus Apple will be seen as a dirty b**ch who sell her children for cash :D. ...hmm maybe not that much but still dirty ;)
 
Not for me, thanks. I'll do without Scientology on my desktop. Remove your foot from my doorstep please ...
 
I cant ever see Apple actually following this through, its such a bad idea.

Im sure King Jobs would never allow it to ruin OSX.
 
Interesting, this might be the first time Apple has shown interest in advertising revenue. Could be they are trying to beat Google to the punch with this idea, definitely sounds like something Google would try with their Chrome OS.

Apple usually shies away from advertising dollars even when given the chance to exploit it to their full advantage as in iTunes TV shows. iTunes could easily support an advertising model rather than charging people $1.99 for shows and $9.99 for movies.

Apple has genius playlist crawling your iTunes library, they could easily serve targeted ads based on that information. Ads could be dynamically inserted into TV shows you download from iTunes and offered for free.

I doubt they will do anything with this patent any time soon. More than anything its to keep others (google) from doing it.
 
I think the knee-jerk negative reaction is silly. It's obviously an optional thing.

I don't know how much sense it makes for an OS. But the idea seems to be that you would get the OS for free (for example). In the past, people could get whole computers for free. Would you accept a free Mac Mini if it had ads in it? Some people would.

In my mind it makes more sense for an application (like MS Office) where you might not use it enough to justify the spend, but might use it intermittently and not mind seeing an ad to use it for 30 minutes.

arn

I think you miss understood all concept of Apple. Apple is company with logo for people with deeper pockets. Thats why you see all their laptops placed in adds, movies etc. Thats why you see your friends jealous when they come along to your place and see what your work with.
Because you pay premium you proof that you can afford it and you got premium product. Now imagine world where every possible person will be offered free mac for adds placed in OS? What would happened then? Of course Apple will make loads of money but their proud image will be dead and all sort of things which comes with this.
 
I hope this never happens. It would, in all estimation, take away from the overall Apple experience that the company touts.

It's ultimately tacky. Apple is about clean, simple, and almost sterile design and implementation.

Hopefully Apple will leave the tacky to MS.
 
No way would this fly. Even Steve couldn't sell this one.

One of the selling points of MobileMe and the way they justify the $99/year price is that it has no ads unlike Google, Yahoo, etc., so I highly doubt they would build ads into the OS itself.

I wish they would do something like this for iTunes. If the iTunes Store free on-demand streaming I wouldn't mind watching a few ads. Imagine being able to just browse the store and click on a TV show or a movie and watch it instantly without downloading or paying. And of course, you'd still have the option of paying for an ad-free version.
 
So Apple thinks people will pay a premium for ad-free TV shows (iTunes), but those same people don't care if their OS has ads? Interesting.
 
No!

Perhaps as owner of the patent, he's done it to stop others from doing it?

But again - No. This is a 'Bad Idea'.
 
That would be the end of me being Apple User!

Just want to make this very clear, I as lots of computer users hate when google updater installs without our knowledge, hate when app contact the web without our permission and really really hate that Adobe Flash has cookies features that share information between sites and do not tell us of that, it's so revolting that to disable it we have to go to this address ... macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager07.html
what makes us understood that even if we denied permissions our stupid flash is connecting adobe all the time!!
SO I DO NOT WANT THIS CRAP ON MY COMPUTER! If this gets on the way, LINUX will grow exponentially, not because of the average user, but because of the user that knows IT, and can develop apps, in that way, Linux will explode in user numbers.
 
What is with these reactions? This is obviously optional. For example, they could give a free mobileme with ad supported, or you give $99 per year without ads.. Works for me. Works for you. Works for everyone.
 
Another take on this patent

So yes sure, advertisements are one way to read into this, but we all know Steve Jobs is one of the few to get perfect scores on his SAT's... so there is always a practical purpose. blatant advertising is never in apple's business plan. Where am I going with this?

It's perfectly possible that "Ad" could be referring to usefull information. Such as stock quotes, or hot news. Then when you clicked the menu item "go to ad's website" you would be taken to something like yahoo's stock information page, or CNN's breaking news. Almost like a ticker slash hot news RSS. possibilities are endless.
 
I think you guys are thinking about this the wrong way.

With all the rumors of an iTablet lately, I could see it being used for free access to a 3g network. Watch an advert, get 30 minutes of internet access. Or, optionally, spend $10 a month to get unlimited internet.

Personally I'd be more than happy to watch an advert in this kind of situation, especially because I doubt I'd use the internet on it enough to warrant paying $10 a month.
 
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