If your go-to navigation app is Apple Maps, your next query may come with a side of ads.
Starting this summer in the US and Canada, “Ads on Maps will appear when users search in Maps, and can appear at the top of a user’s search results based on relevance, as well as at the top of a new Suggested Places experience in Maps, which will display recommendations based on what’s trending nearby, the user’s recent searches, and more,” Apple says.
(Credit: Apple)
Ads will be clearly marked, according to Apple, which is pitching this as “enhanced discoverability” for businesses that participate.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who first reported the news, businesses will bid for ad slots for certain search queries, and the highest bidder will appear at the top of the results. Restaurants, for example, could bid on search terms such as burgers, tacos, or pasta. When people search for those terms in the app, advertisers’ stores will get priority on the results page. (Google Maps takes a similar approach.)
Apple says it “doesn’t know which stores, neighborhoods, or clinics you visit.” Data is synced across devices using end-to-end encryption, “so where you go isn’t associated with your Apple Account at all.” Instead, it uses “contextual information such as search terms, a device’s approximate location, or the area of the map on screen” to serve ads.
Data about the ads you interact with, meanwhile, “is tied to a random identifier that rotates multiple times per hour.”
Revenue is reportedly the driving force behind the plan. Apple made $109 billion from ads and subscriptions in FY 2025, and it already displays ads in apps like the App Store and Stocks app. Still, users’ reactions to rumors about ads in Apple Maps have largely been negative.
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The announcement was made alongside the launch of Apple Business, a platform where advertisers can manage activity across Apple Maps, Mail, Wallet, Siri, and more, starting April 14.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Apple announced it will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) from June 8-12, where we typically hear about the next-generation versions of iOS, macOS, and Apple’s other software.
Editors’ Note: This story was updated with confirmation from Apple.
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Jibin is a tech news writer based out of Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of iGeeksBlog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a broader audience.
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