Apple plans to introduce advertising in Apple Maps, marking a new step in its effort to grow services revenue. The feature has been expected for some time, and recent reports suggest the rollout may begin soon.
Bloomberg reports that Apple is preparing to announce ads in Apple Maps as early as this month. The company aims to expand its advertising business beyond the App Store and bring similar features into its navigation platform.
Bloomberg states, “Apple Inc. is preparing to introduce advertising in its Maps app, part of a broader push to generate more money from services.”
The report adds, “An announcement could come as early as this month, according to people with knowledge of the matter.”
Apple is expected to follow a model similar to its App Store ads. Businesses will pay to appear in search results, but instead of apps, users will see promoted locations such as restaurants, shops, and services.
Bloomberg explains that the system will function like Google Maps advertising. Businesses will bid for placement in search results based on user queries. This approach allows brands to increase visibility when users search for nearby services.
Bloomberg notes that Apple will enable advertisers by “allowing retailers and brands to bid for ad slots against search queries.”
The report also says ads may start appearing in Apple Maps as early as this summer across iPhone, other Apple devices, and the web version of the app.
Apple Maps continues to improve features
At the same time, Apple continues to upgrade Apple Maps with new features. The latest update in iOS 26 introduces preferred routes for navigation, a visited places feature, and improved natural language search powered by Apple Intelligence.
These updates show that Apple is improving both functionality and monetization in Apple Maps, as it builds a stronger services ecosystem.
