Apple is reportedly planning to phase out one aspect of iAd, the in-house mobile advertising platform that Steve Jobs first announced in mid-2010.
Multiple sources familiar with the matter tell BuzzFeed that Apple is intent on outsourcing its iAd sales team, effectively leaving the creation, selling and management of iAd to the experts (publishers).
The revised iAd will reportedly allow publishers to sell through it directly. When asked about the proposition, one advertising industry source said they thought it would be great for publishers as it'll give them direct dialog with their customers as opposed to forcing them to go through an Apple middleman.
Ultimately, the source said, access will be more plentiful and easier to manage - at least, theoretically.
As the publication correctly notes, iAd seemed like a win-win when it was first introduced but Apple's handling of things - hard-charging sales tactics, strong opinions about the creative process and control over valuable marketing data - really put marketers off.
Data from EMarketer last year showed that iAd's share of the mobile display advertising revenue was just 5.1 percent. Facebook, meanwhile, accounted for 37.9 percent while Google claimed 9.5 percent. A statement from CEO Tim Cook in 2014 regarding Apple's privacy even notes that iAd is a very small part of its business.
Sources said the change could happen as early as this week and that members of the iAd sales team will be offered buyouts and will be free to find work elsewhere in the industry. One person said they were surprised it hasn't happened sooner.
Image courtesy Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
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