‘Not worth it: Users kick as Apple greenlights ads in Maps app

Shedrach Kongvong 2025-10-28

Apple has finally decided to go ahead with ads in its Maps app, but this has stirred up controversy among users who are willing to lose it all.

Some aggrieved users responded shortly after the news on 26 October, saying the use of Apple’s Maps app may not be worth it if the company introduces ads in it.

Apple Reportedly Moving Ahead With Ads in Maps App
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Revenue over users

Apple’s Maps app has millions of users worldwide and while it is free, the idea of introducing search ads in it for businesses has not settled well with users.

Responding on Reddit, some of them said the move is short-sighted as the company is sacrificing its long-term customer satisfaction for short-term financial gains.

This could be in a quest to impress shareholders who are only interested in how much they make rather than customer satisfaction.

One of them commented:

“But playing the long game makes it really hard to get promoted. Same reason why you don’t see many politicians investing in infrastructure, education, or mass rezoning policies. You need to convince people upfront because you might not be around to share results from the actual impact of your work.”

The decision may however come at a higher cost that Apple is willing to pay. Many of the users said they would rather stop using iPhones than endure ads on the app.

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The same sentiment was expressed when the company first proposed the idea in February this year.

Despite the disapproval however, Apple seems determined to go ahead with implementing ads in its Maps app, which suggests that it values revenue more than customer satisfaction, some of the users say.

Not the first time

The allegations that Apple has prioritized revenue over users can hardly be ignored considering several recent occurrences.

Just last month, a fresh resurgence of an iOS phishing scam targeting crypto users raised concerns as the scam has been around for some time with no fix.

The ads in Maps will only fuel the dissatisfaction and may lead to Apple losing several customers if it goes through with the plan.