• A new report claims Apple will soon infuse ads into Apple Maps
• The move would mirror a similar policy used by Google Maps
• It risks a backlash, with many users already threatening to quit

For years, Apple Maps has been free of ads, giving you a clean, accurate experience without the distractions and annoyances that you sometimes find in the ad-infused Google Maps. Yet a new report suggests that this is all about to change, with Apple supposedly on the brink of opening up its mapping app to a flurry of adverts and paid promotions.

That’s if Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman is on the money, that is. In this latest Power On newsletter, Gurman explains that Apple has been mulling this move for several years. Now, though, the company has seemingly decided to move ahead with the idea, with ads potentially landing in Apple Maps in 2026.

What would this mean in practice? According to Gurman, Apple’s plan “will allow restaurants and other businesses to pay to have their details featured more prominently within the app’s searches.” That might mean you see promoted companies’ locations when you open the app or search for a destination, as often happens in Google Maps.

Gurman adds that “The concept is quite similar to Search Ads inside of the App Store, where developers can pay for their software to appear in a promoted slot based on user queries.” He also states that Apple’s version “will have a better interface than what Google and other companies offer inside of mapping services” and that it will use artificial intelligence (AI) to “ensure that results are relevant and useful.”

User backlash

Despite its rocky start many years ago, I’ve long preferred Apple Maps over Google Maps. Part of that is thanks to its clean interface, which remains unblemished by the ads that you usually find in Google Maps.

Beyond the visual cleanliness, I also find it easier to trust Apple Maps because I know that no one has spent money to make their location appear more prominently – if a destination is popular, I know that’s because it’s good, not because it’s paid to climb its way up the food chain.

The move to insert ads into Apple Maps also sets up a potential clash with Apple’s longstanding commitment to user privacy. Since advertisers frequently collect as much information on users as possible in order to tailor their adverts, Apple will have to tread carefully to ensure customer privacy is respected under the new advertising program.

And it seems like I’m not the only one who’s wary about Apple’s rumored move – browse social media and you’ll quickly find likeminded users. For instance, Reddit user locke_5 commented: “I switched to Apple Maps specifically because of the (lack of) ads. If they introduce ads I will just go back to Google due to the superior review system.”

InItsTeeth argued on Reddit that “Ads in Google Maps really tanked that app for me I’d hate to see this in Apple Maps,” while another user had a succinct verdict: “Greed truly has no end. The hunger never stops. Sad.”

As Gurman says, Apple’s move has the potential to spark a user backlash. As for me, I’ll wait to see how Apple implements ads (if indeed this does come to fruition) before looking for alternative apps. If the company is able to implement this system without compromising users’ personal data then it will be more of an annoyance than a genuine privacy concern. That would still be detrimental to the app’s interface, though, and in any case, there’s no guarantee that’s what will happen when ads arrive next year.

Even if Apple can somehow find a way to insert adverts that respect your privacy, I can’t see how this is going to do anything to enhance my experience. Given how irritating ads often prove to be, I’m not exactly filled with hope.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he’s learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That’s all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.