Sarah
Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:55:37 +0000

Apple Is Putting Ads in Apple Maps This Summer — The Last Ad-Free App Just Died

you paid $1,200 for the phone and they’re still gonna serve you ads while you’re trying to find a Wendy’s

Apple Maps is getting search ads by summer 2026. Businesses will bid on keywords just like Google Ads. Apple’s ad revenue is projected to hit $8.5 billion this year.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple could announce the new ad system as soon as this month. Search “coffee” and the top result might be whoever paid the most — not whoever’s closest. The “privacy company” is officially in the ad business, and i honestly can’t even pretend to be surprised anymore.

🧩 Dumb Mode Dictionary (click for more details) 📖 Backstory: How Did We Get Here (click for more details) ⚙️ How the Ads Actually Work (click for more details) 📊 The Numbers That Matter (click for more details) 🗣️ Reactions: The Internet Is Not Happy (click for more details) 🔍 The Bigger Picture: Apple vs. Google for Local Search (click for more details)

Cool. Apple sold out the last clean app on my phone. Now What the Hell Do We Do? ¯_(ツ)_/¯

📍 Hustle 1: Become an Apple Maps Ad Agency Before Agencies Catch On (click for more details) 💰 Hustle 2: Flip Cheap Apple Maps Ad Clicks Into Client Leads (click for more details) 🔧 Hustle 3: Build an Apple Business Connect Optimization Tool (click for more details) 📱 Hustle 4: Create Apple Maps Ad Tutorials and Courses (click for more details) 🛠️ Follow-Up Actions (click for more details)

Quick Hits

Want to… | Do this
Get your business ready | Claim + optimize your Apple Business Connect listing today
Make money from this | Learn the ad platform first, sell setup services to local businesses
Build something | Apple Business Connect optimization SaaS — the market is empty
Stay informed | Follow @markgurman on X and set Google Alert for “Apple Maps ads”
Protect your privacy | Disable location services for Maps (lol good luck navigating)

apple really looked at a $1,200 phone and said “you know what this needs? more ads while you’re lost in a parking garage” — and honestly, the hustle is to be the one selling the ads, not the one seeing them.

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