Apple's sleeping advertising business • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#41

Post by i_like_apis » Sun, Oct 23, 2022, 11:50 PM UTC

This reads like a conspiracy theory. It's just pictures of products with overlays that say "what if there was an ad here??".

And the accusation that "WHATS REALLY GOING ON with strict privacy is they are STRATEGICALLY ELIMINATING THE COMPETITION!!1!" is even worse.

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#42

Post by scarface74 » Sun, Oct 23, 2022, 11:56 PM UTC

the_third_wave wrote: post #18

LegitShady wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

to where though?

AOSP-derived Android distributions running on well-supported hardware, the same route taken by those who want to escape Google. Get your software from places like F-Droid, don't install spyware from the likes of Google/Metafacebook/Microsoft/Apple/etc, run your own services on your own hardware where possible or hitch a ride on some friend or family member's services. This works, it offers all the useable bells and w…

Wow that sounds…fun

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#43

Post by killjoywashere » Mon, Oct 24, 2022, 12:14 AM UTC

g42gregory wrote: post #39

Apple products command significant premium over their competitors and the reason people are paying this premium is the clean(er) computing environment. If they start injecting ads everywhere, it would negate the reason to pay the premium for Apple products.

This. I work with a company that is incredibly enmeshed with a government. They essentially do the hard analytical work to figure out what markets of the future might look like. Every once in a while, the company works on something that's obviously going to make markets and someone thinks "Hey, why don't we just build these services inside the company? It would be so much easier." And then the seniors are like "Naw, that's ok, let the companies form. They'll figure it out." The issue is this company would risk its credibility with the government if they started acting on their own advice ahead of legislation. They're in a position where taking action on their own recommendations would make insider trading look benign by comparison.

I feel like Apple is in a similar situation with its platform: sure they could abuse it. But not if they're long term greedy.

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#44

Post by st3fan » Mon, Oct 24, 2022, 12:15 AM UTC

No post body was provided.

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#45

Post by samatman » Mon, Oct 24, 2022, 12:16 AM UTC

codekansas wrote: post #34

I switched to an iPhone about six months ago and have been shocked by how user-hostile the experience is compared to my old Pixel, primarily because of their ecosystem lock-in. For example, the watch randomly logged me out of Strava and started pushing me towards their random fitness tracking app, and iMessage won't let me click to open addresses because I uninstalled Apple Maps. I suspect (maybe hope) their anticomp…

When I get sent Google Maps links in Messages, they open in Google Maps.

Conversely, Apple Maps links open in Apple Maps. Which won't happen if you've uninstalled that app.

Why isn't it a generic piece of data which can open in any map program? c'mon, you know why.

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#46

Post by st3fan » Mon, Oct 24, 2022, 12:20 AM UTC

i_like_apis wrote: post #41

This reads like a conspiracy theory. It's just pictures of products with overlays that say " what if there was an ad here?? ". And the accusation that " WHATS REALLY GOING ON with strict privacy is they are STRATEGICALLY ELIMINATING THE COMPETITION!!1! " is even worse.

These articles are written by the ad industry who are still pissed that Apple is the only vendor around with balls to actually speak up for customer's privacy and implement App Tracking Transparency.

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#47

Post by robocat » Mon, Oct 24, 2022, 12:22 AM UTC

doublepg23 wrote: post #31

rrwo wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You purchase a lifestyle signifier. It's the tech equivalent of wearing Gucci.

Until they kill the SE I think luxury goods comparisons are silly. It’s not like flagship Android devices are cheap either.

The SE has a button at the bottom and it is the entry level product: I don’t think most people in the US would call it a luxury good. I expect the majority of SE customers buy the SE because they want an Apple but can’t afford something better (product price discrimination), with many other SE customers wanting something cheap and not sensitive to fashion (the SE looks outdated). Of course, there are some other SE buyers for other reasons (size, like the button, less stealable, etcetera). A very useable Android is still cheaper (although obviously not the flagship models as you point out).

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#48

Post by Wowfunhappy » Mon, Oct 24, 2022, 12:26 AM UTC

samatman wrote: post #45

codekansas wrote: post #34

I switched to an iPhone about six months ago and have been shocked by how user-hostile the experience is compared to my old Pixel, primarily because of their ecosystem lock-in. For example, the watch randomly logged me out of Strava and started pushing me towards their random fitness tracking app, and iMessage won't let me click to open addresses because I uninstalled Apple Maps. I suspect (maybe hope) their anticomp…

When I get sent Google Maps links in Messages, they open in Google Maps. Conversely, Apple Maps links open in Apple Maps. Which won't happen if you've uninstalled that app. Why isn't it a generic piece of data which can open in any map program? c'mon, you know why.

It's more pernicious than that. If someone sends you an address, iOS will turn it into an Apple Maps link. Apple Maps specifically.

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#49

Post by smogcutter » Mon, Oct 24, 2022, 12:31 AM UTC

tpush wrote: post #27

hnbear wrote: post #8

That Apple could do it doesn’t mean they will, and the article doesn’t present much actual evidence it will. In Apple long-running saga with Ads it’s always seemed like Apple hates ads because it’s other companies content (and so priorities, aesthetic, and feel) jammed inside an Apple product. And Apple hates anything that ruins the Apple Experience :tm: Paying to be the first App Store entry is great, because it’s A…

Counterpoint: The Apple News app. Even of you're a paying ($10!) subscriber, the app is full of absolutely awful advertisement. The current culture of Apple produced this app; it wouldn't surprise me if other properties of Apple start to embed ads.

Having once worked at a publisher (although in IT not ad sales or product, so call it “adjacent” rather than inside baseball), I’m certain this is about negotiating with publishers rather than apple’s own priorities.

A platform like Apple News does very little to redirect traffic back to the home page where you show the big 1st party ads that actually bankroll the org. Users stay in the app. From a publishers pov it’s really unattractive unless you can show ads.

Re: Apple's sleeping advertising business

#50

Post by etempleton » Mon, Oct 24, 2022, 12:36 AM UTC

A piece comes up on HN about Apple’s purported pending foray into capital A Advertising once a month.

I have no idea if they will ever do it. We live long enough I am sure we will see it, but as it stands it would remove the biggest product differentiation and advantage Apple has as a company:

Apple does not need advertising for revenue.

Google can’t say this; Samsung can’t say this; even Amazon and Microsoft can’t say this anymore. They all need it to balance their books.

If Apple goes down this road it ruins their differentiation. The thing no one, with any real size and therefore capacity, can touch. Apple would be crazy to eliminate it.