Google Ad Man Blasts Apple Over iAd Terms
"Let’s be clear. This change is not in the best interests of users or developers," Hamoui said wrote on the AdMob blog. Google acquired Hamoui's company last month and is integrating AdMob as its mobile advertising unit.
Apple, Cupertino, Calif., introduced new developer terms Monday for iOS, the mobile operating system that runs the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Included in the new rules is a ban on developers using third-party software that collects data from an iOS-based device for third-party analysis .
Such third-party device data analysis is a key tool in mobile advertising and by forbidding it, Apple is effectively locking competitive advertising networks like Google's out of the iPhone and iPad, according to Hamoui.
That could pave the way for Apple's new in-house iAd mobile advertising scheme to become the lone ad vehicle on iPhones and iPads.
The AdMob founder contended that the rule changes would not just hurt Apple competitors like Mountain View, Calif.-based Google, but also developers and consumers.
"This change threatens to decrease -- or even eliminate -- revenue that helps to support tens of thousands of developers. The terms hurt both large and small developers by severely limiting their choice of how best to make money. And because advertising funds a huge number of free and low-cost apps, these terms are bad for consumers as well," Hamoui blogged.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced iAds during his Worldwide Developers Conference keynote on Monday in San Francisco. Jobs characterized the new iAds network as a way to get more revenue into the hands of iOS developers and support more free and cheap apps.
In just six weeks of selling iAds ahead of this month's iPhone 4 release, Apple has already pulled in $250 million in advertising sales, Jobs said at the WWDC.
Hamoui concluded his post with a promise that Google would "be speaking to Apple to express our concerns about the impact of these terms."