Apple made a significant announcement today in relation to iAds with the introduction of “iAd Producer,” a Mac App that gives anyone the opportunity to create rich media mobile advertisements for iOS devices.
Similar to Google’s App Inventor for Android, iAd Producer allows users to easily create ads using a point-and-click UI while the software automatically manages the HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript behind the scenes. Simply open the app, choose which device you’d like to develop an ad for (iPhone or iPad) and a use the visual editor to place the various elements.
The software provides templates; pre-built animations and effects; component and asset libraries and a simulator to see your ad in action as you build it. In pure Apple fashion, the app is very well designed, robust and user-friendly. While the app itself is a welcomed addition, it still raises several questions.
The problems facing iAd from the beginning have been Apple’s tight creative control, cost and lack of inventory. While the latter could be solved with iAd Producer, the other two remain. While there could potentially be an influx of iAds created using the new app, does that mean the process for getting them approved changes? It was reported Adidas dropped its iAd plans because Apple didn’t like the ad it had created. What happens if Apple doesn’t like a majority of the ads created using iAd Producer?
GigaOM raised the interesting question too of “how come I don’t have this without the advertising focus as, say, ‘App Producer,’ a part of the iLife suite that lets users create their own apps?” The functionality Apple has created could become an awesome mobile app creator if Apple would allow it.
