A Dark Pattern that Makes App Store Ads Harder to Spot
Apple is testing a new App Store design for search ads on iPhone, which blurs the line between ads and search results by removing the blue background around sponsored results. This change, currently in A/B testing, aims to integrate ads more seamlessly into search results, though it may confuse users about the nature of the first result as a paid ad. The move aligns with Apple's recent announcement to include multiple sponsored results for a search query, potentially boosting ad click-through rates and revenue.
I don’t remember the last time I actually browsed the App Store, so this probably won’t affect me directly. Still, it’s disappointing to see Apple moving in this direction.
It’s a good reminder that even when you pay premium prices for the hardware and the ecosystem, ads still find their way in.
Once ads are normalized, they tend to spread, not retreat. I don’t like this.
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