Apple Maps could feature integrated ads as soon as next year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple's plan to bring more ads to iOS is moving "gaining traction," with the Maps app being next in line. The project will apparently give restaurants and other businesses the option to pay to have their details featured more prominently in search.

The system is said to be similar to Search Ads in the App Store, which allows developers to pay to have their software appear in a promoted slot above other results for relevant queries. Apple's approach reportedly leverages AI to deliver relevant and useful results, in a better interface than similar offerings from Google and other companies. Gurman warned that the move risks some amount of consumer backlash.

Source: Macrumors