Advertisements Could Be All Over Your iPhone Soon
Granted, ads aren't an entirely new concept on Apple devices. Some of your built-in iPhone, iPad, or Mac apps already use them, in fact. From the App Store's "recommended" search results to banners in Apple News, chances are you've encountered a few. Thing is, according to Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman there's a good chance we're going to be seeing a lot more of this kind of thing — whether we want to or not.
As Gurman goes on to point out, having ads (targeted ads, no less) on an expensive, premium device like an iPhone or iPad feels a little disingenuous given Apple's typical stance on privacy. It is possible to turn off personalized ads, assuming the device's owner is aware of the option and knows how to access it (go to Settings, Privacy, Apple Advertising), but that only stops the ads from using demographic data. It doesn't actually prevent the ads from appearing.
What we can expect
Gurman believes that, due to some activity within Apple's advertising teams and a mention on a recent earnings call, the company will eventually expand its advertising reach into other first-party apps and services. This could mean seeing pop-ups or banners when using the Maps app, as well as finding more sponsored content in other digital Apple stores like Apple Books and Apple Podcasts. Apple could potentially offer publishers the ability to pay to appear at the top of search results (similar to the App Store now), and could result in the appearance of more typical in-app ads.
Expanded tiers for Apple TV+ are also being theorized, which would potentially see the streaming service offer ad-supported and ad-free options similar to what other platforms like Netflix and Disney+ have been doing, though as of now this remains mostly speculative. Apple does seem to have an interest in expanding its potential for advertisements, but we won't know for sure just yet whether we'll see a significant increase in advertisements on Apple devices in the near future.