Prior to its acquisition by Google, mobile advertising firm AdMob was approached by Apple about a possible purchase, according to a new report. Citing a person familiar with the matter—who declined to be identified due to the private nature of the negotiations—Bloomberg reports that Apple approached AdMob to discuss a possible acquisition “a few weeks” before Google made its $750 million bid.
Apple declined to comment on the story, while a spokesperson for AdMob said the company doesn’t comment on “rumor and speculation.” A purchase by Apple would have allowed the company to extend into online advertising, stated Karsten Weide, an analyst with research firm IDC. “If a lot of traffic goes through my devices, why can’t I become the middleman that serves ads against that inventory?” Weide said.
“AdMob would have allowed [Apple] to do that quickly.” Weide estimates that together, Google and AdMob will account for between 30 and 40 percent of the mobile advertising market.
.
