iAD: mobile advertising from Apple

Following its recent acquisition of Quattro Wireless, Apple is rumoured to be set to announce a new mobile-phone-based advertising platform called iAd within the next few days. Hold on to your hats then, as targeted advertising is about to be shaken up by a heavyweight newcomer.

Thanks to iTunes and its faithful customers, Apple’s customer information database is, undoubtedly, huge. As the site requires users to set up a personal account, the company has all the contact details of each and every iTunes user and knows exactly who’s buying what.

‘Revolutionary’

It seems that Apple’s ambition knows no bounds. It's already proved its success in the field of computers, software, content sales, mobile phones and global positioning, all profitable sectors that are filling up Apple’s pockets fast. In fact, according to a study carried out by AdMob, an agency that recently joined the house of Google, Apple has a market share of approximately 50% of mobile phone OS thanks to the success of the iPhone. All that's missing, then, is a platform to provide online advertising to portable devices, a market that’s currently booming and rapidly expanding. Why let Google’s AdSense service have all the fun dominating the market?

Steve Jobs claimed the forthcoming announcement would be about something ‘revolutionary’. Plus, according to mediapost.com, the announcement has apparently been scheduled for 7 April, just four days after the iPad launches in the US.

Watch this space …

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