More than one full year has passed since Apple last rolled out a new version of its iPhone OS. Today’s update, however, is likely the most important advancement of the iPhone’s operating system to date – especially if you’re a developer or advertiser.
Indeed, Steve Jobs’ introduction of the new advertising platform called “iAd” represents one small step for advertising and one giant leap for mobile marketers.
Promoted first and foremost as a way to help developers make money, Apple will host the ads but provide a 60% cut to the devs. “We have a lot of free or reasonably priced apps. We like that,” Jobs told his audience at this morning’s new iPhone OS “party.” “But our devs have to find ways to make money. So our devs are putting ads into apps.”
Essentially, Apple is delving deep into the apps in order to serve up a mobile advertising mechanism – one that is both interactive and packed with emotion – unlike anything ever experienced in the world of digital advertising. “iAd,” which comes built into the new OS, will cover a broad base of digital content. From games to video, “iAd” will allow users to enjoy and absorb ads without ever having to exit an application.
Delivering a wicked cool demonstration of the “iAd” platform today, Apple is clearly endeavoring to rise to the top of the heap as the ultimate conduit for effective mobile marketing campaigns that make the advertising experience more engaging than ever thought possible.
With the average user spending 30 minutes per day consumed by mobile applications, Steve Jobs said the iPhone will soon have the ability to serve “a billion ad impressions per day,” a situation that will open up “an incredible demographic” to the advertising community.
