• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

Apple’s New Ads Could Fool You

By
Hilary Brueck
Hilary Brueck
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Hilary Brueck
Hilary Brueck
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 15, 2016, 9:28 AM ET

Apple users could be in for a surprise as the company debuts its new ads for Apple News. But then again, maybe they won’t even notice the change.

The new ad format for the news app is designed to put banner ads more seamlessly side by side with regular articles in the news feed. It’s a shift for the app, which previously hosted barely any sponsored content, as Business Insider reports.

Apple (AAPL) tells Fortune the new native news ads, which debuted in January, are “intended to blend in with their surrounding” distinguished only by a sponsored tag in the bottom corner of the screen. That means the content is virtually indistinguishable from regular news stories:

A mock-up of one of the new Apple News Ads. Image from Apple
Apple for developers

The Apple News app launched last year and over 100 publishers, including Fortune parent company Time Inc., signed on to the service. But Time CEO Joe Ripp said revenue from the app last year was underwhelming.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Though the company says at least 40 million people across the U.S., U.K., and Australia have tried out the service, Apple admitted earlier this year that the company’s not really sure how many people are reading Apple News on a regular basis. The service requires iOS 9, so it’s not available on all Apple devices.

For more on the Apple News app, watch:

Meanwhile, other mobile giants are clambering to serve up faster reading for mobile phones. Both Google AMP and Facebook Instant Articles are working to kill load times for articles. Facebook (FB) Instant Articles for mobile can load up to 10 seconds faster than average, making them more click-friendly and share-friendly, while Google (GOOGL) AMP pages load faster and can show up higher in searches.

 

Correction: (Mar. 16 3:00 E.T.) An earlier version of this story incorrectly said that the new ads will be debuting in March. Apple tells Fortune the new ad format has been available to publishers since mid-January. This post has been updated accordingly.

About the Author
By Hilary Brueck
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Jon Gray, Blackstone
SuccessCareers
Blackstone COO Jon Gray predicts ‘huge boom’ in blue-collar jobs—his own data center company is hiring 30,000 new roles
By Preston ForeMay 14, 2026
1 hour ago
A European central bank has signed a mega deal with a cloud service provider. The problem for Google, Microsoft and Amazon? It’s not with them 
EuropeLetter from London
A European central bank has signed a mega deal with a cloud service provider. The problem for Google, Microsoft and Amazon? It’s not with them 
By Kamal AhmedMay 14, 2026
4 hours ago
student
LawEducation
Parents want tech banned from schools. Teachers respond that it’s an insane idea
By Sharon Lurye and The Associated PressMay 14, 2026
4 hours ago
gene
Commentarybatteries
I helped design the original Tesla battery. Here’s how America can lead the world again
By Gene BerdichevskyMay 14, 2026
4 hours ago
Man with glasses and beard before a microphone
Cybersecurityfraud
North Korean operatives stole $2 billion last year—and financial firms are the next target
By Amanda GerutMay 14, 2026
5 hours ago
Furientis missile launches from the ground during a test.
Startups & VentureTerm Sheet
Exclusive: ‘We’re spending millions to stop threats that cost thousands’: Startup Furientis aims to revolutionize defense
By Lily Mae LazarusMay 14, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
1 day ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
2 days ago
Nearly 50,000 Lake Tahoe residents have to find a new power source after their energy source looks to redirect lines to data centers
Travel & Leisure
Nearly 50,000 Lake Tahoe residents have to find a new power source after their energy source looks to redirect lines to data centers
By Catherina GioinoMay 12, 2026
2 days ago
It’s not just Canadian tourists snubbing U.S. cities. Business leaders are cancelling more trips to America as geopolitical tensions continue
North America
It’s not just Canadian tourists snubbing U.S. cities. Business leaders are cancelling more trips to America as geopolitical tensions continue
By Sasha RogelbergMay 12, 2026
2 days ago
I spent 8 years building Google Sheets. Now I think apps are on their way out
Commentary
I spent 8 years building Google Sheets. Now I think apps are on their way out
By Zach LloydMay 13, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of May 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 13, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 13, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.