Apple to start featuring ads on App Store homepage

Apple has made a name for itself by continuously advertising that it will never misuse your personal information to market products. However, the firm does have an ad business on its App Store and elsewhere. The company is now ramping up its operations by adding a new advertisement space to its "Today" homepage tab and individual app pages. In addition, there are additional advertisements on top of the existing ones featured on the App Store's primary "Search" tab and in search results.

"Apple Search Ads provides opportunities for developers of all sizes to grow their business," Apple wrote. "Like our other advertising offerings, these new ad placements are built upon the same foundation—they will only contain content from apps’ approved App Store product pages, and will adhere to the same rigorous privacy standards."

The Today section, which includes a handpicked and personalized selection of applications to explore, is the first thing seen when opening the App Store (it debuted in 2017 with a major App Store redesign). The "You May Also Like" component of an app's product page's "You Might Also Like" list is another new area. Developers will be able to promote their apps alongside Apple-owned material using the new advertisements, which are clearly labeled as advertising.

The new slots will adhere to Apple's privacy and transparency standards, avoiding personalized advertisements to persons under 18, never gathering sensitive data, and avoiding hyper-targeting. The new ad spaces will be tested "soon," according on the firm.