Apple Plans To Place Advertisements Directly In The App Store’s Today Tab

According to MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and AppleInsider, Apple intends to display advertisements on the Today tab and on the pages for specific apps in the App Store. The two new ad placements will complement the ones you already see in the search tab and search results on the App Store.

The Today tab’s advertisements will take the same larger card format as the tab’s other material, but you’ll notice a small blue box with the word “Ad” inside it next to the name of the app. Under the “You Might Also Like” banner, which promotes apps similar to the one you’re viewing, advertisements will display on individual app pages. Ads on app pages will be marked in blue, just like in App Store search results, to set them apart from other suggestions. Ad purchasers won’t be able to target particular programmes for these advertising, but 9to5Mac reports that the adverts will still be pertinent to the app they are displayed under.

In a statement to MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and AppleInsider, Apple noted that “Apple Search Ads provides opportunity for developers of all sizes to build their businesses.” These new ad placements “are built upon the same foundation as our existing advertising offers, and, like our other advertising offerings, they will only feature content from apps’ approved App Store product pages, and they will comply to the same stringent privacy rules.” The business will shortly start testing the new advertisements. A request for comment from Apple was not immediately complied with.

Apple started displaying adverts in App Store search results in 2016 and in September started requesting users’ consent to enable Personalized Ads. The new advertisements show that Apple is looking at new revenue streams for the App Store and that advertising may become a more crucial pillar for the company as its services division expands. Unfortunately, the new advertisements will require us to filter through more obtrusive blue boxes.