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12h ago

Apple Rolls Out Ads in Maps in U.S. and Canada

The change signals a push to boost services revenue by placing privacy-focused, on-device sponsored listings in Maps while offering no user opt-out.

The buttons of the travel app Apple Maps
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Two iPhones display Apple Maps: left screen shows a search for Restaurants with a nearby list; right screen shows a map with pins and a search bar overlay.
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Overview

  • The ad rollout began this week and Apple confirmed it will expand gradually to all iPhone and iPad users in the United States and Canada over the coming weeks.
  • Sponsored listings appear before searches in the Suggested Places feed and at the top of search results, each result set showing a single entry marked with a small blue "Ad" badge.
  • There is currently no setting to turn off Maps ads for any users, including paid Apple service subscribers, and Apple says ad interactions and location data are not tied to Apple Accounts or shared with third parties.
  • Businesses can buy Maps placements through Apple Business and Apple Ads and Apple is offering a limited promotional credit for early buyers while banning certain categories such as home services, bail bonds, and cryptocurrency ATMs and reviewing medical ads case by case.
  • The move removes one of Apple Maps’ long‑standing differences from rivals and could shift user behavior and perceptions even as it fits into Apple’s broader multi‑year effort to grow advertising and services revenue.