Apple has reportedly told its iAds team to focus on selling ads for iTunes Radio while it works on building a real-time bidding exchange to automate selling in-app ads.
In a staff meeting before the holidays, Eddy Cue, Apple SVP of Software, told staff that iTunes Radio ads are the top priority, and app ads are not.
“The message that came across was basically if you’re not working on iTunes Radio, you’re irrelevant,” an Apple insider said.
A source familiar with iAds said Apple has kept its real-time initiative under close wraps and is “not casting a wide net.” That may be because the company is figuring out how to gradually transition from earlier aggressive sales efforts that had iAd prices starting at $1 million a pop. “It’s a rare advertiser that is going to be willing to pay those rates,” said the source.
At this point it’s not clear whether Apple will limit the exchange to just mobile iAds or whether it will also be used to sell ads across all Apple devices, perhaps even the Apple TV.
Leave a Reply