Apple is bringing ads to Apple Maps as soon as this summer

Apple is preparing to introduce sponsored listings in Apple Maps, marking a significant expansion of its advertising business beyond the App Store.

How it will work. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the system will function similarly to Google Maps — allowing retailers and brands to bid for ad slots against search queries. Sponsored businesses will appear in Maps search results, much like sponsored apps already appear in App Store searches.

The timeline. An announcement could come as early as this month, with ads beginning to appear inside Maps as early as this summer across iPhone, other Apple devices, and the web version.

Why Apple is doing this. Advertising is a growing and high-margin revenue stream for Apple’s services business. Maps — with its massive built-in user base across Apple devices — is a natural next step, particularly as location-based advertising continues to grow.

Why we care. Apple Maps has a massive built-in user base across iPhone and Apple devices, and users searching within Maps are expressing clear, high-intent signals — they’re actively looking for somewhere to go or something to buy. This opens up a brand new location-based advertising channel that previously didn’t exist on Apple’s platform, giving local businesses and retailers a way to reach those users at exactly the right moment.

Advertisers already running Google Maps or local search campaigns should pay close attention, as this could quickly become a significant complementary channel.

The bottom line. Apple Maps ads should open up a high-intent, location-based channel that hasn’t existed before on Apple’s platform. Advertisers running local or retail campaigns should start planning now — early entrants in a new ad auction typically benefit from lower competition and cheaper costs before the market matures.