So What Else is New

Apple's announcement of iAd pretty much demonstrates why I shouldn't try to guess what Apple is up to. I may get close, but I'll probably be wrong.

iAd, which enables interactive ads inside an app, is an affront to Google whose business relies on browser-based searching. "People aren't searching on a mobile device like they are on a desktop device," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. "They are using apps to get to the Internet."

And now app producers can monetize their "free" apps with iAd and, thanks to Apple's patented approach to serving ads, advertisers can know that their ads are actually being watched. This also makes more understandable why Apple has been so cautious about approving Apps, even to the frustration of many developers. Advertisers can be comfortable that their ads won't be used to monetize, for example, X-rated content.