Apple has begun testing a new design for search ads within the App Store for iPhones, after some iOS 26.3 users noticed the disappearance of the blue color that used to distinguish paid advertising results.
According to the new design being tested, the only difference between organic search results and sponsored ads is a small tag with the word “Ad” next to the app icon. This step is still in the initial “A/B” testing phase and has not been fully implemented yet.
Experts believe this trend may be part of a plan announced by Apple last December, which is to display more sponsored ads in every search. The new design allows ads to blend more seamlessly with regular results, but it may make it more difficult to distinguish between advertising and original content, which may lead some users to click on ads without realizing they are paid.
Although this change does not appear to be aimed at improving the user experience, it may lead to an increase in the number of clicks on ads, which will positively affect Apple’s revenue from advertising within the App Store.
