Apple plans to introduce search ads in its mapping app Apple Maps. The system is intended to work similarly to Google Maps and is part of a broader strategy to further increase revenue from the services business.
• Apple plans to introduce search ads in Apple Maps starting summer 2026
• Apple confirmed the plans on March 24, 2026 on its advertising platform
• The system should work similarly to advertising in Google Maps
Apple Maps is getting an advertising system modeled on Google Maps
Apple is preparing to introduce advertising in Apple Maps, the company officially confirmed on its advertising platform Apple Ads. Companies could prepare to be found in Apple Maps, it said. The ads are scheduled to appear in the app from summer 2026.
According to Bloomberg, the system will work similarly to search advertising in Alphabet’s Google Maps. Retailers and brands can therefore bid on advertising spaces that are displayed for certain search queries. For example, a coffee house chain could place an ad when someone searches for “coffee,” and restaurants could bid on gastronomic search terms. The highest bidder will appear prominently in the results. According to Bloomberg, the ads will be played on the iPhone, iPad, Mac and in the web version of Apple Maps.
Advertising business as a growing pillar in the services segment
The introduction of ads in Apple Maps is part of a broader expansion of the advertising business. Apple had already announced on its Apple Ads platform in December 2025 that it would introduce additional advertising spaces in the App Store search results at the beginning of 2026. Instead of just one ad, several advertising spaces are now displayed in several markets. In April 2025, Apple renamed its advertising business from “Search Ads” to “Apple Ads”, a reference to its planned expansion to additional platforms.
The move comes at a time when Apple’s services division is significantly driving the company’s growth. According to Apple’s fiscal 2025 annual report, the Services division had annual revenue of $109.16 billion, an increase of 13.5 percent year over year. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, which Apple reported in January 2026, total revenue rose to $143.8 billion, up 16 percent year-over-year.
Regulatory pressure and the search for new sources of income
According to MacRumors magazine, Apple Maps advertising could also serve to compensate for possible declines in revenue in the App Store. The group is under regulatory pressure in several countries to reduce commissions for developers or allow alternative payment methods. It wasn’t until mid-March 2026 that Apple lowered developer fees in the Chinese App Store. Added to this is the uncertainty surrounding Apple’s multi-billion dollar search deal with Google, which is under scrutiny due to ongoing antitrust proceedings in the USA.
How advertising affects the user experience in Apple Maps will only become clear after the official launch in summer 2026. Apple Maps was previously considered an ad-free alternative to Google Maps, which many users value as a differentiator.
Dominik Maier, editorial team at finanzen.net
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