Apple Maps may soon include ads to enhance services revenue

Ads are coming to Apple Maps, as part of Apple’s ongoing effort to boost its services revenue. The company will allow business owners to promote their locations within the app, similar to Google Maps. This decision follows an all-hands meeting at Apple, where the board agreed to “explore” the idea of introducing ads on Apple Maps.

Ads were initially expected to arrive by 2023 but were delayed for unknown reasons. Now, Apple is planning to revisit the concept, though no engineering work has started yet, indicating that ads in Apple Maps may still be some time away.

According to the latest report, Apple recently held an all-hands meeting with the Maps team, where the idea of monetising the app was discussed. However, no active development is currently underway, and Apple has not provided a timeline for when—or if—these features might be introduced.

If Apple proceeds with ads in Maps, it could further boost the company's service revenue, aligning with its ongoing efforts to expand its advertising business.

With Apple now exploring ways to monetise Apple Maps, it wouldn’t be surprising if the company decided to roll out an Android version alongside its new advertising features. By doing so, Apple could compete more directly with services like Google Maps, further strengthening its advertising business and services revenue.