For years, Apple Maps has been a clean, ad-free alternative to Google Maps’ cluttered experience. But that might be about to change. A new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claims that Apple is on the verge of bringing ads and paid promotions to its popular mapping app.
According to Gurman, Apple has been considering this move for a while, and it now appears ads could start appearing in Apple Maps as early as 2026. The plan would allow restaurants and other businesses to pay to have their locations featured more prominently in search results, similar to how ads work in Google Maps and Apple’s own App Store.
Gurman says Apple is aiming to create a “better interface” for its ads than Google offers and will use AI to ensure the promoted results remain “relevant and useful.”
The news has already sparked a backlash online from long-time Apple Maps fans who love the app for its clean, ad-free design. “I switched to Apple Maps specifically because of the (lack of) ads,” one Reddit user wrote. “If they introduce ads, I will just go back to Google.”
Beyond just cluttering up the interface, the move also raises privacy concerns. Apple has built its brand on protecting user privacy, and it will have to be very careful about how it handles user data in this new advertising system. While nothing is official yet, the report is a worrying sign for anyone who prefers their maps without a side of marketing.
