San Mateo, Calif.-based AdMob, which provides ads to 1,500 applications on the iPhone, said today that it is launching new types of banner ads for the iPhone that attempt to engage more with the user, by using tools such as search and social networks. The new ads will be available on Friday, or just three days ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, where Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) is expected to release the iPhone 3.0, the latest operating system update. Release.
One of the ads encourages people who view it to sign-up for a company’s Twitter feed, or become their friend on Facebook. Another one, allows any company with search capabilities, like eBay (NSDQ: EBAY), to embed a box into the ad, where users could look up information directly from the ad.
While AdMob says the new features are in preparation of iPhone 3.0, there’s really nothing about the ads that can’t be done today with the current operating system. However, there is a much bigger opportunity coming for advertisers with the launch of Apple’s new iPhone operating system. Jason Spero, AdMob’s VP and GM of North America: “Micro-payments will be enormous, and I think AdMob has given a lot of thought about what that means. 3.0 brings a lot of functionality that advertisers have been looking for. We expect to take full advantage of that with new ad units in the near future.”
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