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2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

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Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#41

Post by bg_tagas »

al_borland wrote: post #3

I’m really not a fan of this direction for Apple. One of the differentiators between iOS and Google was a lack of ads, which make the experience feel more premium. Increasing ads, or having them at all, really erodes the user experience. Apple managed to become the most valuable company in the world without ads. Adding them after hitting that milestone feels either greedy or desperate, maybe a little of both. I know…

Well if the app creator isn’t going to pay Apple money. You have to pay Apple money. If you don’t like ads. Thank Tim Swineey

Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#42

Post by Someone »

al_borland wrote: post #3

I’m really not a fan of this direction for Apple. One of the differentiators between iOS and Google was a lack of ads, which make the experience feel more premium. Increasing ads, or having them at all, really erodes the user experience. Apple managed to become the most valuable company in the world without ads. Adding them after hitting that milestone feels either greedy or desperate, maybe a little of both. I know…

I think that, on the App Store, ads may be the least worse solution.

Currently, some developers try to get into your view by creating multiple similar apps, as that gets them screen space for free.

Given developers the ability to pay to have their app show above the sea of (almost) clones may revert that trend, as such developers would either have to pay for multiple adverts or to put all their money on one horse.

(It wouldn’t make the iOS App Store good, though. One thing it definitely also needs is clearer information on what features you get for free, what you can buy as add-on, and what requires a subscription)

Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#43

Post by user2722 »

dangus wrote: post #34
oliviergg wrote: post #25

Serious question: who still goes on the App Store, and why? Personally, I haven’t searched for anything there except once out of boredom in 5 year

It's literally the only way to download apps. A platform that doesn't let you simply install a desired package without being shown ads is kind of crazy but it's basically industry standard for everything that's not Linux.

He/She meant _searching_ for apps for a functionality in App Store is a sure way to get gobbledygooky apps. He/She probably searches them on $SEARCH_ENGINE and uses the AppStore just for the download.

Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#44

Post by Imagenuity »

The App Store has one slot at the top of the search listing for a promoted app. This will change to multiple slots.

As an app developer, I used to have to outbid everyone to get the one and only spot. Now I need only outbid the top 3 bidders (or however many slots there are).

I advertised for many months back when App Store ads first started, and it was worth the expense because of higher sales. I no longer advertise because the one and only slot is far outbid what that slot is worth to me, and that I can recoup without spending a lot or raising the price for the app.

So I chose not to advertise and keep the app price lower.

Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#45

Post by dangus »

It's crazy that a piece of marketing material like this isn't gated behind an advertiser portal. For a company that's been so professional and protective of its brand this is a pretty insane look. Just posting a public article telling its customers that they're getting more ads soon! Could this article not be gated to the paid developer audience?

This would be like if Disney put a press release out bragging about how Mickey Mouse was going to help sell alcohol sales inside their theme parks.

Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#46

Post by tcfhgj »

al_borland wrote: post #3

I’m really not a fan of this direction for Apple. One of the differentiators between iOS and Google was a lack of ads, which make the experience feel more premium. Increasing ads, or having them at all, really erodes the user experience. Apple managed to become the most valuable company in the world without ads. Adding them after hitting that milestone feels either greedy or desperate, maybe a little of both. I know…

Greed is the law of capitalism

Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#47

Post by dangus »

Imagenuity wrote: post #44

The App Store has one slot at the top of the search listing for a promoted app. This will change to multiple slots. As an app developer, I used to have to outbid everyone to get the one and only spot. Now I need only outbid the top 3 bidders (or however many slots there are). I advertised for many months back when App Store ads first started, and it was worth the expense because of higher sales. I no longer advertise…

You will be able to win more bids, but you'll be bidding for something significantly less valuable, and the entire experience for users will be worsened.

It's the Amazonification of the App Store. Next it'll morph into more ads than legitimate results. Your app won't show up at all unless you pay your mafia dues.

Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#48

Post by bitpush »

axus wrote: post #31
dav43 wrote: post #22

The App Store is an absolute sh!t hole of an experience. Irrelevant ads, impossible to find anything decent. It’s the internet of 1998 pre google.

Have you browsed Google Play? :) Or Amazon appstore for that matter.

Why? Does Apple allow you to download apps from Google Play or Amazon?

Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#49

Post by dangus »

user2722 wrote: post #43
dangus wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's literally the only way to download apps. A platform that doesn't let you simply install a desired package without being shown ads is kind of crazy but it's basically industry standard for everything that's not Linux.

He/She meant _searching_ for apps for a functionality in App Store is a sure way to get gobbledygooky apps. He/She probably searches them on $SEARCH_ENGINE and uses the AppStore just for the download.

Ah, so using a different advertisement platform instead of this one.

Let me put this another way: if you want to manually kick off app updates, you literally have to see ads. App Store > Today tab (the default view) has ads. Then you hit your profile button to escape the ad center and there is your app update interface.

This has been normalized by basically all commercial OS platforms, but imagine how insanely negatively received it would be if apt upgrade or brew upgrade displayed ads before your packages downloaded.

Apple even shows ads for stuff like Apple Music/TV+/Fitness/News+ free trials in the settings pane.

And people give Microsoft shit for having ads in their platform...at least they don't show you ads in Windows Update!

Re: 2026 Apple introducing more ads to increase opportunity in search results

#50

Post by mgh2 »

al_borland wrote: post #3

I’m really not a fan of this direction for Apple. One of the differentiators between iOS and Google was a lack of ads, which make the experience feel more premium. Increasing ads, or having them at all, really erodes the user experience. Apple managed to become the most valuable company in the world without ads. Adding them after hitting that milestone feels either greedy or desperate, maybe a little of both. I know…

Ads is just a tool, I hope Apple does it right for UX, as it is planning to do w/ Maps
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