Comments on: What Did Apple Really Say About Location-based Ads?

By: Where, a Geo App, Launches a Local Mobile Ad Network | AniChaos.com

Where, a Geo App, Launches a Local Mobile Ad Network | AniChaos.com — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:33:23 +0000

[...] includes special offers and deals) aggregated from partners such as Quattro Wireless, which was recently acquired by Apple. Upon launching these new ads, the company saw clickthroughs almost triple and a boost to its [...]

By: Fresh From Twitter | mobile geo social

Fresh From Twitter | mobile geo social — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:28:52 +0000

[...] Location-Based Ads http://j.mp/9qLuFx /via @rww while Apple Plans To Control iPhone Geo Ads? http://j.mp/9IVYdX /via @GigaOMSenator Conroy, Minister of Truth, is caught filtering his tag cloud http://j.mp/cyKlva [...]

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:07:06 +0000

I am constantly becoming more aware of this space in the mobile market and as it seems to me, this is where apps will make most of their $. I do not necessarily agree with Apple's move to regulate this. But in most cases they will opt to control whatever they can. Seeing that there is great profit in ad placement through location based applications, Apple can once again have the upper hand in their developement of these applications including advertisement, when they make the rules.

By: Hope

Hope — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:34:40 +0000

I have a feeling Apple isn't just trying to protect it's users, but probably trying to regulate the ad space to their benefit. Creating their own LBS with an attractive, yet semi useful and ultimately cohesive design with the iPhone, iTouch, iPad, etc, would no doubt in my mind have ad placement. Certainly particular about such ads, but probably not with the consumer's best interest in mind.

By: Fred Smyth

Fred Smyth — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:02:58 +0000

Nina, while you may parse it that way, it doesn't really make sense. For example, if you have horrible annoying ads but the main purpose of your app is to use location for something moderately useful then it's OK? But if you have have a great beneficial location based ad experience, but your app is not about location then it's prohibited? My guess is that this just isn't a fully thought out policy.

By: Nicholas

Nicholas — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:32:37 +0000

Of course nobody wants meaningless ads. The question is who decides this, Apple or the customer. Obviously, Google Maps with ads wouldn’t apply, right? Or, do you not know?

That is the problem. We all agree that Apple has a great user experience. I just happen to not believe that having music embedded in apps for purchase violates that app experience. I believe that a snowboarding video sampler where you can purchase music and videos directly would be kinda cool. And, I believe that targeting ads at users who desire this is relevant. The last one is the only one in question because we tried the others and Apple doesn’t want products that compete with iTunes in spite of publishers who want such mechanisms.

By: Nina Tovish

Nina Tovish — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:31:06 +0000

I really don't see why this is so hard to parse. Apple is saying that if your MAIN reason for using location is to serve up ads, that's no good. You have to be putting the location info to some other, real and practical purpose beneficial to the user as well.

This seems eminently sensible and like good user-centered design.

By: PXLated

PXLated — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:40:28 +0000

Your commenters were right Marshall :-)
The last thing I want bombarding me is ads even if they’re giving me coupons – I want control. Hopefully the answer is User Protection.

By: Marshall Kirkpatrick

Marshall Kirkpatrick — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:52:38 +0000

When I covered this there were a lot of commenters who applauded the move, saying that Apple ought not allow developers to pester users for location if that location is going to be used for nothing but local ads. I disagree. I still believe that any app that is ad-supported will be more effective if the advertising is local and I'm happy to aprove one prompt in exchange for seeing out of the corner of my eye what local businesses are advertising on my iPhone. (Perhaps in part because it's still novel here in Portland, Oregon.) I believe Apple made this move to protect the user experience, but I think it was a mistake. I'd sure love to get some follow-up comment from Apple on it, though. They didn't respond to my email seeking clarification. Why are so many press outlets still left speculating what the intention was?

By: Nicholas

Nicholas — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:48:33 +0000

Excuse me, but why are we left interpreting this? Apple is going to leave the vagaries in place so that developers have to spend money on development but are ultimately unsure as to what the results will be. That is my primary problem with the platform relative to the discussions of openness.

I had a discussion with somebody from Moto where we trying to figure out if they would even allow some of my ideas for educational projects to be built for the iPad OS. Isn’t that a problem?