Apple Looks to Revolutionize the Mobile Ad Industry?

Steve Jobs may be looking to overhaul mobile advertising in the same way Apple revolutionized music players and phones, reports Business Week.

According their sources, Jobs has recognized that "mobile ads suck" and that improving that situation will make Apple hard to beat.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, particularly when it offends his aesthetic sensibilities, Jobs and his lieutenants have discussed ways to overhaul mobile advertising in the same way they had revolutionized music players and phones, say two sources close to the company. The sources did not reveal specific plans at Apple but say there are several possible ad approaches. Apple could employ its user data and geo-location technology to make ads more relevant, so that a user cruising the mobile Web at lunchtime could receive an ad for specials at a nearby restaurant. It could also use the iPhone's capabilities in creative ways—say, having someone shake the device to win a rebate the same way they do to roll dice in games.


To pull this off, Apple began talks with AdMob the current leader in the mobile advertising industry. However, before Apple could close the deal, Google swept in and purchased AdMob for an astonishing $750 million.

Outbid on its first choice, Apple quickly closed a deal with Quattro Wireless, AdMob's closest rival. Quattro CEO Andrew Miller was given the title of vice-president of mobile advertising at the company.

Apple is one of the few brands that may be able to compete with Google in the mobile advertising arena. They have a wealth of data on their customers which can be used to optimize ad delivery and they have full control of the platform. Perhaps we could even see an SDK with advertising capabilities built right in.

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