Apple Maps has begun displaying advertisements to users in the United States and Canada, with no option to disable them. The rollout, which started this week following a March announcement, marks the tech giant’s expansion into location-based advertising. Even subscribers to premium services like Apple One and iCloud+ cannot escape the sponsored listings that now appear alongside standard search results.
The advertisements can surface in two locations within the app: at the top of suggested places before a search, or within search results if deemed relevant to the query. Each ad includes a label and distinct icon to distinguish it from organic recommendations, though they maintain a similar appearance. Advertisements may contain multiple images or text only, and users will not encounter them in every search, particularly in smaller markets.
Apple emphasizes privacy protections for its advertising system, stating that Maps uses contextual targeting based on current session data rather than building user profiles. Factors influencing ad selection include search terms, map viewing area, approximate device location, language settings, and time of day. The company asserts that location data and ad interactions remain disconnected from user identity, with ad activity tied to random identifiers that refresh multiple times hourly.
The move has generated significant criticism from users and online communities, who argue that the feature undermines Apple Maps’ cleaner interface compared to competitors like Google Maps. Critics particularly question why premium hardware and subscription customers should view advertisements at all, marking another monetization avenue for the company alongside existing ads in the App Store, Apple News, and Stocks.
Originally reported by Mashable →
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