Apple's Plunge Into App Store Ads Could Be a Problem
The strategy raises the specter of price-gouging or conflicts of interest.
Apple sells ad spots on its App Store as a way for developers to stand out.
Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg
I wrote recently about why Amazon.com Inc.’s commercial messages in product searches are a risky way to levy additional fees on the companies that sell through its digital mall. Apple Inc. is increasingly wading into similar waters.
Type in “maps” or “dating apps” in the search bar of Apple’s widely used iPhone app storefront, and you might see a result for Google Maps or the Tinder app shaded in blue and labeled as an ad. Developers pay Apple when someone taps on those promotions. Apple has been selling those ad spots for several years as a way for developers to stand out in the sea of iPhone apps.