The Apple iPhone developer’s blog has an interesting entry from yesterday that discusses location-based advertising in iPhone apps. The usage of GPS functionality to deliver local information must provide “beneficial information” to the user.
The entry notes (my emphasis), “If you build your application with features based on a user’s location, make sure these features provide beneficial information. If your app uses location-based information primarily to enable mobile advertisers to deliver targeted ads based on a user’s location, your app will be returned to you by the App Store Review Team for modification before it can be posted to the App Store.”
MacNN has a good look into what this decision means for developers and for Apple. “Many analysts believe Apple is preparing to launch a mobile advertising network that will serve ads through free apps on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The company recently acquired Quattro Wireless, a mobile advertising specialist, after reportedly failing to sign a deal to purchase AdMob. The latter company was later picked up by Google,” MacNN notes.
Developer Craig Hockenberry mentions the change in a tweet last night, “Looks like Apple is going to keep location-based advertising to themselves.”
The use of the word “primarily” makes me believe that some level of ads will still be allowed. I’m not sure I agree with MacNN in that Apple would tell developers no, only to tell them yes if you use our advertising network at a later date.
What does this mean for location-based services including BrightKite, Loopt, Foursquare and Gowalla? Would an offer at a local merchant based on a “check-in” qualify as an ad?
CenterNetworks Partner: Get your
business cards scanned and transcribed with
CloudContacts.