Apple announced Tuesday that it will begin showing ads on Apple Maps in the United States and Canada later this summer, giving businesses of any size the chance to appear in search results for the first time.
The ads will be available to any company with a physical location that already has a listing on Apple Maps. Users will see a single clearly labeled ad next to relevant search results, marked with a small blue halo around the pin on the map and identified as an advertisement in the list of suggested places, much like the current format on the App Store.
The move marks another expansion of Apple’s advertising business, which has grown steadily in recent years without fundamentally altering the user experience on its core services. Apple executives have long held that the company can add new revenue streams while protecting privacy and maintaining the clean design that distinguishes its products.
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In this case, the company said user data related to ad interactions will not be linked to Apple IDs, will remain on the device, and will not be collected, stored, or shared with third parties.
Businesses can create and run campaigns directly through their Apple Maps listing. They upload photos, add a promotional message, and set a budget. Apple uses automated matching to show the ad to users actively searching for similar businesses. Advertisers can start or stop campaigns at any time. Larger advertisers will have additional options, including scheduling and location targeting.
The system uses an auction-based pricing model standard in the industry, with advertisers paying only when users view or tap the ad.
The expansion was previously reported by Bloomberg and had been widely anticipated as Apple looks for new ways to monetize its services. Maps has long been one of the company’s most-used applications, yet it has remained largely free of advertising compared with Google Maps, which has relied heavily on ads for years. Apple’s entry could add a meaningful new revenue line as its overall ads business continues to scale globally.
Alongside the Maps announcement, Apple is consolidating its various business tools under a single brand called Apple Business, effective April 14, 2026, and available in 200 countries and regions. The unified offering brings together device management, productivity tools, and now advertising capabilities that were previously spread across Apple Business Connect, Apple Business Essentials, and Apple Business Manager.
For the first time, businesses will have access to an employee directory, custom domain email, and calendar services. Employee accounts include 5 GB of free iCloud storage, with U.S. businesses able to purchase upgraded plans starting at $0.99 per user per month for up to 2 TB of storage. Companies can also add AppleCare+ for Business support, priced per user or per device, starting at $6.99 per month.
The package includes free mobile device management tools for distributing apps to employees, previously a paid feature. Smaller businesses can use preconfigured “Blueprints” to set up devices without deep technical knowledge. Larger organizations will have access to an API for more advanced app deployment.
The combination of Maps advertising and the streamlined Apple Business suite shows Apple continuing to build out its services revenue while trying to keep the experience simple for both consumers and businesses. Executives have repeatedly said they see significant room to grow advertising without compromising the privacy-focused approach that differentiates the company.
Businesses’ ability to appear directly in Apple Maps search results could prove valuable, especially for local services where proximity and discovery matter.
The announcement comes at a time when Apple is under pressure to show continued services growth as iPhone sales face headwinds in key markets. The company is betting it can extract more value from its installed base without alienating users or crossing the privacy line it has drawn for years.
While the first ads are scheduled to appear later this summer in the U.S. and Canada, it is not clear how quickly the program will expand to other markets.