Apple puts iAd-supported iPhone apps for kids out of business with no notice

By on May 11, 2011 at 3:08 PM
mobile May 11, 2011

Apple has reportedly confirmed to a developer that it is no longer serving advertisements tied to its iAd platform in iOS apps geared toward children. When Mike Zornek — developer of Dex, a free Pokemon app for the iPhone and iPod touch — noticed iAd ads were no longer being served in his app, he contacted iAd support. The purported reply he received from Apple reads as follows:

Hello Michael,

We periodically review the apps in the iAd Network to ensure that all apps receiving ads are aligned with the needs of our advertisers. Currently, our advertisers prefer that their advertising not appear in applications that are targeted for users that are young children, since their products are not targeted at that audience.

We appreciate your understanding.

Best Regards,

 iAd Network Support Apple, Inc. 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014

Apple’s iAd product hasn’t been the sweeping success many thought it would be when the company announced the product last year. Apple has since cut its minimum spend in half to $500,000, and it also tried to draw attention to the platform with a gallery of iAd ads packed into a dedicated iOS app. It now looks as though Apple is trying to add further appeal to its iAd product by delivering a network that is more targeted than several competitive networks might be. Of course developers like Zornek stand to suffer from the changes, and in typical Apple fashion, no notice was given to developers. “And that’s how an iAd supported version of Dex died,” Zornek wrote on his blog. “No warning, no notice and inevitably no respect to the developers who have cenetered [sic] their app’s revenue model around the iAd platform.”

[Via MacStories]

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19 Comments

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  • http://www.droiddoes.com/ Norm

    Typical closed Apple garden.

    • Anonymous

      As the father of a toddler I appreciate what Apple is doing. I would much rather pay a little for a quality app then have my daughter see more ads. Besides, there is nothing inherently wrong with walled gardens. I put up many walls for my daughter. Every major corporation uses walled gardens including Google, Walmart, McDonalds, and many more. Skyhook is suing Google because Google wouldn’t let Motorola use a 3rd party location software.

      • Anonymous

        As a developer, I don’t.

        If there was notice as to the removal of the ads then this would be a non issue.

        Don’t worry though. Your children will soon bask in the glory of AdMob ads.

      • http://twitter.com/Regan1212 regan1212@gmail.com

        benWV, you another idiot. The point is Apple doesn’t care about your toddler or anyone buts its self, they just aren’t getting the right ads by companies to serve up to your toddler, moron. Do you let your kid watch tv, movies, etc.. last time i checked those have ads. Learn to think for your self and stop thinking Apple cares about you. Apple is just trying to save face at the expense of the very people that made it what it is. If it wasn’t for dev community their OS would be crap!

      • Anonymous

        Oh really? And you work for Apple and are sooooo smart. This is why you know what you say to be true. STFU!! Porn to is not allowed on iOS too. Protect the children. Steve tries to protect the kids. I too have children and nice to see Apple take a stand to protect my children. Sure there are TV ads but they usually geared to the content. ie. kid shows=kid ads. But ultimately it’s up to me to protect them but nice to know I have someone on my side.

      • Anonymous

        No, I don’t let my child watch tv. I haven’t had a tv for over 15 years and counting.

      • Anonymous

        Norm is clearly an snoty nose punk kid living in his gradma’s basement:)

  • Anonymous

    “Apple’s iAd product hasn’t been the sweeping success many thought it would be”

    There were people that thought it would be a success?

    • Anonymous

      Sure, don’t you remember blots like BGR talking about how the “magical” immersive ads from the lAds platform was going to have Apple dancing on Google’s grave since “everybody” was going to love how these ads “integrated” with content?

      Apple distortion field was running full tilt back then.

      • Sabu

        and still is.

  • http://twitter.com/androidhelpers Android Helpers

    Eric Schmidt: “I told you so”

  • Anonymous

    I don’t think I’ve ever seen an iAd.

  • Hapki5000

    Lol

  • Anonymous

    The problem is really that initial half million buy in. This leaves out many, many smaller entities that may want to advertise on the platform, but don’t have the means. I can take $100 to google and have ads placed just about anywhere in digitaldom. I repair computers as a business, and don’t even take in a half million a year to start with. If Jobs wants this to work, they have to let small business buy in too.

    • serpentor

      I don’t think Jobs needs and/or wants your money.

  • Anonymous

    I’ll bet this is in response to the in-app purchasing (like in the Smurfs game).

  • http://twitter.com/hetaldp HetalDP

    Apple Developers deserves this SLAP on face. come to Android

  • Cash

    “Apple’s iAd product hasn’t been the sweeping success many thought it would be when the company announced the product last year”

    Who, other than Steve Jobs, thought this would be any kind of success? We don’t want fancy interactive ads Steve, we want no ads at all. Baring that, we want ads that are as least intrusive as possible. Going out of your way to make them more demanding of our attention and requiring greater levels of interaction is exactly what we don’t want. For such a smart guy, the iAd was amazingly stupid.

  • http://strategemobile.com AntoineLamarre

    A developper shouldn’t have business models aiming at serving ads to the youth. I know it’s not like that in the US but where I live advertising to children beyond 13 is prohibited. It doesn’t look as Apple won’t allow it soon (Apple being Apple they certainly will) but for the moment I think this is a good thing from a society standpoint. It is also good for advertisers.

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