Apple hates location-based ads
Apple last week posted a warning on its developer web site that will won’t stand for iPhone apps intended to provide location-based advertising.
“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,” the posting says.
What about people who might want such offers? Some great location-based apps are available for the iPhone. I use one called AroundMe that’ll give me a list of nearby restaurants, gas stations, hotels, movie theatres and lots more. If I click on restaurants, I’m probably looking for a place to eat and there’s a decent chance I haven’t already decided on one. A nicely targeted offer of a discount could well sway my decision – and I’d likely welcome it, frugal sort that I am. And if I take it upon myself to download an app knowing full well it comes with location-based ads, then what’s the harm?
I hope for the sake of GPS-aware marketers and discount-hunters alike that Apple soon changes its tune on this decision.
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