A recent report revealed that Apple was planning to introduce ads in Maps. The company has now officially confirmed the move as part of its new Apple Business platform.
In a press release, Apple announced its new Apple Business platform, which will allow businesses to create local ads on Apple Maps. The service is set to roll out later this summer for businesses in the US and Canada.
Ads will appear at the top of search results based on user queries. Maps will also introduce a new Suggested Places feature, offering recommendations based on various factors. The company added that ads will be clearly labeled to ensure transparency.
Apple also confirmed that ads on Maps will follow the same privacy standards as the service itself, with user data processed on-device and not stored or shared with third parties.
Notably, Apple Business is a unified platform that brings together all the tools previously offered under Apple Business Connect. It enables companies to manage devices, reach more users, access support, and more. The new platform will also let businesses set up a custom email, directory service, and calendar using their own domain.
Apple Business will be available to customers in over 200 countries starting April 14.
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