Apple may start showing ads in Apple Maps from 2026

Apple Maps

Apple is reportedly planning to introduce search ads within Apple Maps starting in 2026, according to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter. The move is said to be part of a broader internal initiative to expand Apple’s advertising business across iOS, as the company looks for new revenue sources beyond hardware and services.

Gurman reports that Apple’s in-house advertising team is “gaining traction,” and that Apple Maps is the next major app expected to feature ad placements. The proposed model would allow businesses to pay for greater visibility within Maps search results, similar to how developers currently pay to promote their apps on the App Store. Advertisers could bid on specific keywords, ensuring that their business appears near the top when users search for certain categories like “restaurants,” “coffee shops,” or “gyms.”

Unlike the App Store, Apple reportedly won’t place ads directly on the Maps home screen—at least not for now. Instead, promotions will likely be integrated into search results in a subtle way, designed to blend seamlessly into the existing user experience. Bloomberg’s report adds that Apple will rely on AI to ensure ad relevance, helping users see suggestions that are not only targeted but also genuinely useful.

Still, the move isn’t without controversy. Gurman cautions that Apple risks alienating consumers who already feel the iPhone is being overrun by self-promotion. Many users have complained about the increasing number of prompts for Apple services such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, AppleCare+, and Fitness+. Combined with the ads in Apple News, some critics see this as a growing trend of monetising the iPhone ecosystem.

For a company that markets privacy and premium experience as its core values, introducing ads to a utility as central as Maps could be a delicate balancing act. Gurman suggests Apple might face backlash if users perceive these changes as intrusive, especially when premium iPhones can cost up to $2,000.

There’s no confirmed timeline yet, but given Apple’s release patterns, ads in Maps could debut alongside iOS 26.4 or iOS 26.5, possibly around spring 2026.