Apple is finally fixing these hated App Store ads on your iPhone
Changes roll out in July for iOS 16.4 and above.
Ads in the Today tab on the App Store for your iPhone will finally be getting a redesign to make them more approachable and less of an eyesore when reading through the tab's curated content.
On a new post on its Apple Search Ads site, Apple shows the ad will instead just have an icon, the title, and a brief description in a rounded green box to better tell you that it's an ad.
Since the Apple Store was first announced in 2008, there were no ads to be found as you browsed it until ads were announced in May 2021 as Search Tab Campaigns, and it was a surprise to many, as there was an unwritten understanding that there would be no ads whatsoever.
But times change, and Apple has seemingly decided that ads make sense in the App Store - but this update seems to finally improve how ads look after two years.
Not great, but not terrible either
Ads in the App Store have been a sore point for developers and some users - mainly because there have been glitches where gambling ads would appear when searching for therapy apps.
It was a highly bizarre misstep for a company that has made billions in profits from its many products over the years, and while Apple clearly rolled back some changes here, it still thinks that some ads can work in the App Store.
This new format will run on iPhone devices using iOS 16.4 and later, so anyone updating to iOS 17 will be able to see these changes once they launch later this year. It also helps that if you've already created an ad campaign with the previous design, it will be moved over to this updated one in July, so you won't need to do any extra work.
Master your iPhone in minutes
iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!
It's a small improvement to an awkward topic of ads in the App Store, but any positive here is good for everyone, regardless.
Daryl is iMore's Features Editor, overseeing long-form and in-depth articles and op-eds. Daryl loves using his experience as both a journalist and Apple fan to tell stories about Apple's products and its community, from the apps we use every day to the products that have been long forgotten in the Cupertino archives.
Previously Software & Downloads Writer at TechRadar, and Deputy Editor at StealthOptional, he's also written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', which tells the story of the beginnings of Lara Croft and the series' early development. His second book, '50 Years of Boss Fights', came out in June 2024, and has a monthly newsletter called 'Springboard'. He's also written for many other publications including WIRED, MacFormat, Bloody Disgusting, VGC, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, VRV Blog, The Loop Magazine, SUPER JUMP, Gizmodo, Film Stories, TopTenReviews, Miketendo64, and Daily Star.
-
Wotchered Funny really, I never go there unless I know what I want and have already researched it. The idea of browsing stuff I don’t want … ?Reply -
Annie_M Interesting... while I'm not a fan of ads, I've never been bothered by them in the App Store... in fact, I've never really been aware of them! LOL!Reply