• Apple plans to add ads to its maps soon
• Ads could start appearing on iPhones this summer

Apple is reportedly exploring ways to integrate advertising into its Maps app, Bloomberg reports, citing tech journalist Mark Gurman.

According to the report, the company could announce the move this month, with ads going live on iPhones during the summer season.

The ads are expected to work similarly to those in other mapping apps, allowing stores and brands to pay for prominent placement when users search for specific locations or keywords.

Observers say the move could boost Apple’s services revenue, which currently generates around $100 billion annually and accounts for roughly a quarter of the company’s total income, even as the sector faces growing regulatory pressure in several countries over App Store policies.

Apple has not issued an official comment so far.

The idea of adding ads to the Maps app has been circulating in reports and leaks since 2022, with the company already running ads in the App Store and its News app.