Apple plans to test new App Store ad placements

To give developers more opportunities to get their apps discovered by users, tech giant Apple is planning to soon test a pair of new ad placements on the App Store.

The new ad slots include placement on the App Store Today page and a slot in the "You Might Also Like" section of an app's product page. Both placements will be marked as ads to differentiate between organic and editorial recommendations, reports AppleInsider.

"Apple Search Ads provides opportunities for developers of all sizes to grow their business," the tech giant was quoted as saying.

"Like our other advertising offerings, these new ad placements are built upon the same foundation -- they will only contain content from apps' approved App Store product pages and will adhere to the same rigorous privacy standards," it added.

The report mentioned that it is not clear exactly when the new ad placements will roll out, but Apple said that it will begin testing the slots soon.

Previously, there were only two ad spots available on the App Store -- and they both appeared only when users searched for new apps.

According to the tech giant, the new ad slots will maintain the company's focus on privacy and transparency.

For example, Apple avoids hyper-targeting of individuals or small groups of users. It also avoids showing personalised ads to users under 18, and it never uses any sensitive data -- such as religious or political information -- to serve ads.

More than that, Apple told advertisers in May that 78 per cent of the search volume on the App Store came from devices with first-party data collection turned off, the report said.

Despite that, Apple said that its privacy-protecting advertising technology was just as effective for businesses, it added.