Apple Maps replaced Google Maps as the pre-installed mapping solution on iPhones and iPads with the release of iOS 6 in 2012; The in-house development should collect particularly little user data. After the bumpy start, the group has constantly developed the service and added functions such as street perspective (Look Around), 3D views and “Detailed City Experience” for 35 cities. So far, the offer has remained free of paid advertising. That will soon change, because Apple has revised the rules for advertisers for the stocks, sports and news apps – and is mentioning the maps app here for the first time. The “Apple Advertising Services News and Stocks, Maps, and Sports Programming Policies” are effective immediately. In it, the group defines categories that are prohibited. The list is extensive: Apple apps are not allowed to advertise drugs, weapons, political advertising, offensive or inappropriate content, health products without proven effectiveness, fraudulent, discriminatory, criminal or illegal content. Apple has excluded additional categories for the Maps app.
Prohibited categories for advertising in Apple Maps
Services around the houseamong other things
- Plumbing installation
- Electrical installation
- Locksmith services
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology
- Pest control
- Roofer
- Construction services in general
Deposits: Promoting bail funding in the context of releasing criminals
Cryptocurrency ATMs: Advertising related to cryptocurrency ATMs
Medical services: Advertising for health-related services (decision on a case-by-case basis)
Focus on business
In this way, Apple is drastically reducing its sources of income, argues Sarah Perez on Techcrunch: In Google’s map offering, a significant proportion of the advertising comes from the area “around the house” – from locksmiths to electrical, gas, water, air conditioning and roofing. Apparently, says Perez, Apple wants to focus on advertisers with physical stores. In addition, Apple limits itself to a single (clearly marked) advertisement per user search.
Apple emphasizes data protection
There are no advertisements in the map app yet; however, a launch is expected shortly. Initially, advertising only appears in the USA and Canada. In the announcement of the planned advertising offer in Apple Maps, the company emphasizes that it respects privacy. There is no user tracking and users are not obliged to identify themselves with a user account. Neither age nor gender of users are taken into account when selecting advertisements. Personal waymarkers remain on the device and are not passed on to advertising partners or Apple. Apple Maps generally does not show advertising to people under the age of 13.
