14 DAY TRIAL // After launching the iAd advertising platform in 2011, Apple introduced an app that served as a browser for the best ads. As it soon turned out, hardly anyone was interested in it, and starting this summer it’s completely gone from the App Store.
Apple is probably having a hard time accepting that its iAds never quite took off the ground, having adjusted the system countless times since its 2011 debut, culminating with the iAd Gallery removal reported this week.
It is unclear when Apple removed iAd Gallery from the App Store exactly, but sources say it hasn’t been available for a while now. Some believe it was removed around the time WWDC started (the beginning of June).
The evidence that iAd Gallery was a flop was available right in the application itself. Apple never gave it any treatment, such as a UI update for the 4-inch display of the iPhone 5 or the flatter design direction of iOS 7. In fact, the only update iAd Gallery ever received was to add compatibility with iOS 6. Yeah, that’s how ancient it was.
Regardless, Apple continues to sustain its iAd platform and the various tools that advertisers need to create the ads. It’s still very unclear just how successful the platform is today, but it’s fair to assume it’s not exactly making waves in the industry.