Apple Bans Home Service Ads on Apple Maps, Taking Cautious Approach to Location Advertising

Muscat: Apple has banned advertisements for home services on Apple Maps, signalling a more measured approach compared to rival Google, as the company prepares to roll out its location-based ad platform. According to Oman News Agency, under a new policy effective 14 July, the tech giant has prohibited a wide range of ad categories, including plumbers, electricians, locksmiths, HVAC, pest control, roofing, and general contractors. The move sets Apple's ad service apart from Google, where local services ads are among the largest categories on its platforms. On Apple Maps, only businesses with a physical presence that customers can visit will be allowed to advertise. The approach could make Apple's ads feel closer to organic map search results rather than traditional paid search ads, TechCrunch reported. Apple, which unveiled its maps advertising service earlier this year, has not set a launch date beyond "this summer" for the US and Canada. The company is also adopting a case-by-case approach to ads for med ical services, saying such advertisements will be assessed individually.