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App Store Ads Gone Wild

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Re: App Store Ads Gone Wild

#2
It’s too much money to turn down. The costs are next to nothing.

Sure, there might be some effects where a few users are turned off and leave the platform, but the loss of those users is likely outweighed by the gains from advertising, probably by a lot. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have A/B tested that to the extent that they can.

You are welcome to hate it but that’s the calculation they and everyone else who serves ads has made.

Re: App Store Ads Gone Wild

#3
in previous comment threads I have expressed disdain that short-term optimization has long-term costs, and really, always takes away from future collateral.

people like to argue with me about that.

the problem described in this article is a perfect example of what I mean.

Apple can A) take money for gambling ads, and place those ads at the expense of losing trust sometime afterwards, or B) not take that money, costing some short-term gain and leaving the long-term stuff like brand integrity and trustworthiness untouched.

it is always wiser and more difficult to do B. sometimes it is a little more difficult, sometimes it is a lot more difficult, but it is always, always, always the wrong move to make a decision based on revenue generation and/or expense minimization potential alone.

the long-term stuff is real, and it exists now. you can't use it as a resource today, but you can make decisions today which change its size and shape dramatically. the more you optimize for revenue generation today, the smaller your long-term resources become.

Re: App Store Ads Gone Wild

#4
> ”No ads in the App Store, period” would have been a powerful, appealing message.

Shocking to me, even before this recent change was how often (always?) the top search result was an ad in the App Store - even if I specifically spelled out the exact app I wanted.

Because of the sewer the App Store has become, I don’t even go there anymore. Does anyone?

Edit: just searched “perfboard”, an app of mine from years back. Only two results, Perfboard and Peleton: Fitness. Guess which was first?

Re: App Store Ads Gone Wild

#5

It’s too much money to turn down. The costs are next to nothing. Sure, there might be some effects where a few users are turned off and leave the platform, but the loss of those users is likely outweighed by the gains from advertising, probably by a lot. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have A/B tested that to the extent that they can. You are welcome to hate it but that’s the calculation they and everyone else who se…

Jobs was no saint. But, he would never approve of an initiative that he himself wouldn’t want to use.

Schiller was the last person that had Steve’s sensibilities.

Re: App Store Ads Gone Wild

#6

It’s too much money to turn down. The costs are next to nothing. Sure, there might be some effects where a few users are turned off and leave the platform, but the loss of those users is likely outweighed by the gains from advertising, probably by a lot. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have A/B tested that to the extent that they can. You are welcome to hate it but that’s the calculation they and everyone else who se…

Jobs was no saint. But, he would never approve of an initiative that he himself wouldn’t want to use. Schiller was the last person that had Steve’s sensibilities.

Schiller took over the App Store in 2015. App Store Search Ads started in 2016.

Re: App Store Ads Gone Wild

#7
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jobs was no saint. But, he would never approve of an initiative that he himself wouldn’t want to use. Schiller was the last person that had Steve’s sensibilities.

Schiller took over the App Store in 2015. App Store Search Ads started in 2016.

Well shit. There goes that thesis.

Re: App Store Ads Gone Wild

#8

in previous comment threads I have expressed disdain that short-term optimization has long-term costs, and really, always takes away from future collateral. people like to argue with me about that. the problem described in this article is a perfect example of what I mean. Apple can A) take money for gambling ads, and place those ads at the expense of losing trust sometime afterwards, or B) not take that money, costin…

> the more you optimize for revenue generation today, the smaller your long-term resources become.

Is this actually true? I know that a lot of people assume it's true, they want to believe it's true, but I'm not sure the empirical evidence supports it.

Re: App Store Ads Gone Wild

#9
Facebook has been a really great shield for Apple in recent years by dominating the media through [advertising outrage].

Now that Facebook has decided to shoot itself in foot by going all in on the metaverse (the new narrative), a lot of Apple’s more self-interested decisions are starting to come to light. What started off as Apple’s commitment to privacy is now getting laid bare as pushing out and replacing their competition.

Or, more simply, ads have migrated out of the Facebook family of apps and into your OS. I can’t say this is an improvement.

Re: App Store Ads Gone Wild

#10

> ”No ads in the App Store, period” would have been a powerful, appealing message. Shocking to me, even before this recent change was how often (always?) the top search result was an ad in the App Store - even if I specifically spelled out the exact app I wanted. Because of the sewer the App Store has become, I don’t even go there anymore. Does anyone? Edit: just searched “perfboard”, an app of mine from years back.…

Gruber is absolutely right on this. I wish Apple would listen.

> even before this recent change was how often (always?) the top search result was an ad in the App Store - even if I specifically spelled out the exact

Ads have simply ruined search on the App Store. It is a terrible and, dare I say, -un-Apple-like, user experience.

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