Apple blocks advertisements on App Store in Russia

Apple has banned Russian developers from using its Search Ads service in response to the growing pressure to isolate Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple alerted developers about the ban in an email which said, Apple Search Ads has been suspended on the App Store in Russia until further notice and no new campaigns will be allowed until the suspension is lifted.  

Introduced in May 2020, Search Ads is used by developers to place ads on the App Store. The service has gained from Apple’s move to prevent developers from tracking users without permission, even though it has dented Facebook’s ad revenue.  

According to a Financial Times report, Apple's Search Ads accounted for 58% of all iPhone app downloads in 2021 as compared to 17% a year ago and may bring revenue of $20 billion a year in the next three years for the iPhone maker.  
The ads ban is part of a series of restrictions that Apple and other big tech companies have put on Russia in the last few weeks.  Ukraine has repeatedly urged tech companies to cut off Russia’s access to their products and services to prevent them from spreading disinformation about Ukraine and also to mount pressure on the Russian government.  

Also read: Ukraine war: Here's every tech service banned or suspended in Russia

Last week, Apple stopped all product sales in Russia. Days before it, the company had blocked payments via Russian bank cards on Apple Pay and delisted Russian news apps by RT News and Sputnik from the App Store. Apple has also disabled traffic and live incidents in Apple Maps in Ukraine for the safety of Ukrainian citizens.  

Among other tech companies, Google and Meta have also suspended advertising services in Russia. Early this week, OTT platform Netflix also suspended all services in Russia.  

Later today, Apple is expected to launch a slew of new devices including an iPhone SE, iPad Air and MacBook Air at the annual Spring event.