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Google welcomes Apple's ad network rethink as AdMob reprieved on iOS

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Google welcomes Apple's ad network rethink as AdMob reprieved on iOS
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Adobe isn't the only company to have benefited from the latest change to Apple's developer agreement for iOS.

Another rival, this time in the form of Google and its ad platform AdMob, has also been given a reprieve by the update.

Despite never actually being enforced, the previous version of the agreement restricted apps from employing ad networks "owned by or affiliated with a developer or distributor of mobile devices", making AdMob – purchased by Google for $750 million in November 2009 - its prime target.

However, this condition has now been removed, with Google VP of product management Omar Hamoui stating via the firm's blog that he is pleased Apple has finally seen sense.

Opening the Apple

"Apple's new terms will keep in-app advertising on the iPhone open to many different mobile ad competitors and enable advertising solutions that operate across a wide range of platforms," Hamoui says in the entry.

"This is great news for everyone in the mobile community, as we believe that a competitive environment is the best way to drive innovation and growth in mobile advertising."

It's another interesting backtrack for Apple, with the change to the developer agreement also lifting the ban on developers using certain thirdparty tools – a rule that previously blocked studios from tapping up Adobe's Flash CS5 tools.

A welcome return

But unlike Flash, though the previous agreement seemed directly targeted at AdMob, Apple never actually made good on its promise, with the network continuing to function on iOS in the months following its unveiling.

In part, this was due to pressue from the US Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice, which were considering an anti trust probe into the matter.

Nonetheless, Hamoui is relieved that there is no threat of a ban hanging over AdMob's head moving forward, stating Google believes it is right that advertising on iOS remains as competitive a market as possible.

"We're pleased that Apple has clarified its terms and we’re 100 percent committed to developing the best possible advertising solutions and formats for the iPhone - as well as for Android devices, BlackBerry devices, Palm devices, Windows Mobile devices and, undoubtedly, many more to come in the years ahead."

[source: Google]

Keith Andrew
Keith Andrew
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font. He's also Pocket Gamer's resident football gaming expert and, thanks to his work on PG.biz, monitors the market share of all mobile OSes on a daily basis.