Apple announced Tuesday that it will allow advertisers to target customers on Apple Maps starting in the U.S. and Canada later this summer. This ad is available to businesses of all sizes with a physical location and an existing business listing on Apple Maps. Users, on the other hand, see ads next to relevant search results.
The ad is part of a revamped business that Apple is calling Apple Business, which includes integrated email, calendar and directory services, as well as tools to manage employee devices.
Apple says it only shows users one ad in Maps search results. Ads will also be clearly labeled with a small blue halo around the pin on the map, and will be clearly labeled as an ad in the recommended places list, similar to how ads appear in the App Store.
Introducing advertising into one of Apple’s flagship first-party applications provides the company with an opportunity to generate an additional, potentially sizeable revenue stream without fundamentally changing the product or disrupting the user experience. Consumers have already come to expect ads to appear in map-like locations after years of using Google Maps, where ads have long been a key component. The offering could add billions of dollars to Apple’s revenue as its advertising business continues to grow globally.
The company said the ads protect users’ privacy because data about the ads they interact with is not tied to their Apple accounts. According to Apple, your personal data will remain on your device and will not be collected or stored by Apple or shared with third parties.
To create ads and run campaigns, businesses must first have an Apple Maps listing. You can then upload a photo, add a promotional message, and set an appropriate budget. Apple uses automatic matching to put your ads in front of people who are actively searching for similar businesses. Advertisers can choose to start or stop their campaigns at any time.
Larger advertisers can do more customization, such as scheduling ad run times and targeting specific locations.
Bloomberg previously reported on the addition of ads to Maps, noting that a bidding process would be required to place ads. Apple today confirmed that it will use an industry-standard auction-based pricing system for advertising. Advertisers only pay if they get a desired result, such as a view or tap on their ad.
The expansion of Apple’s advertising business involves a broader change in how the company operates, consolidating its various business tools and services into one.
Instead of having to visit various URLs like Apple Business Connect, Apple Business Essentials, and Apple Business Manager, the entire suite is now simply called Apple Business. Scheduled to be available in 200 countries and regions as of April 14, 2026.
For the first time, companies will have access to an employee directory and a new set of productivity tools such as email and calendars within the company’s domain. Employee accounts come with 5 GB of iCloud storage for free, and U.S. businesses can purchase upgrade plans starting at $0.99 per user per month (up to 2 TB of storage per user). Businesses can also pay additional support for AppleCare+ for Business starting at $6.99 per month per user or per device.
The new product includes a variety of free tools for businesses of all sizes, including an MDM product for distributing apps to employees. This product has been improved with new features and is now available for free (previously a paid product).
Small businesses will now be able to use preconfigured “blueprints” to set up employee devices without requiring advanced technical expertise. Business owners and managers simply select the apps they want to provide to their staff, and the settings are already configured for them. Apple says large enterprises will be able to manage app deployment through APIs.
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