AdMob brings interactive video ads to iPhone

While it's waiting to be gobbled up by Google, AdMob isn't sitting still.

The mobile ad company announced Tuesday that it will deliver interactive video ads to the iPhone and iPod Touch devices. The ads, set to run this week, will let iPhone users surf the Web and check out other videos while the video ad is playing. AdMob believes advertisers and developers will take advantage of the video format by serving up interactive ads designed to pull in consumers.

"AdMob's new Interactive Video Ad Unit brings together consumers' love of watching videos on their mobile device with advertisers' goal of providing an interactive, social experience for consumers," said AdMob Founder and CEO Omar Hamoui in a statement. "We are excited to create new ways for advertisers to engage with consumers on their mobile devices and for the developers behind the most popular and engaging iPhone applications to effectively monetize."

The video ads will automatically pop up as iPhone users access certain content and applications. The ads will also offer a video player so that people can control and interact with them. To make sure the ads run at a decent clip, AdMob uses a network of distributed servers to push them out. Each video is saved in different file sizes, with the most appropriate one streamed based on the connection type, such as 3G or Wi-Fi.

AdMob is one of the top advertising providers for the handheld and portable device market, a position that convinced Google to cough up $750 million in stock to buy out the company. With its multimedia capabilities and huge market share, the iPhone has proven a fertile ground for video ads, with the first ones popping up in early 2008 and growing since then.

[Mr. Dee]

Just what we don't need. Steve Jobs, please do your thing and block them with the next iPhone OS update.

[redmarine]

Meh, AdBlock Plus anyone?

[dbargen]

Some questions:<br /><br />What software does adMob utilize to run ads on the iPhone/iTouch? I've immensely enjoyed not being pelted with flash ads when surfing the web on these devices thanks to apple's ban on flash (which runs very poorly on OS X anyway). <br /><br />Finally, how long before we start seeing mods to the mobile version of safari that block/bypass ads like these so people can get to their content?

[Seaspray0]

soon there will be an ad for that.

[shycelticwitch]

Flash works just fine on my Macs and always has, so if you're having trouble with it you're not doing something right.

[PocketDrummer]

@shycelticwitch: I thought macs "just worked"

[CupertinoBill]

Oh no. Please Steve make them stop this nonsense. Please oh please, Steve.

[Hookoa]

If I pay for an app on the iPhone, and it starts pummeling me with ads, I will remove it from my iPhone and write a devastating review....not only on the App Store site, but also every other website that supports Mac and iPhone/Touch.<br /><br />If the FREE apps start popping video ads at me, THEY will be removed.<br /><br />I don't PAY for a telephone and its data plan that bombards me with ADVERTISING. Enough of that crap on CABLE TV which I also pay for. Why??? If we PAY for it, why do I/we get ads for stuff I don't need and won't buy.... ie: feminine sanitary products and women's clothing! Medications I have no use for now or ever. Baby products. Etc.<br />????<br /><br />Google: Do No Harm! What ARE you thinking?

[KeynoteSystems]

It will be interesting to see the impact of streaming ads on the overall performance of the Web surfing experience. On the Web side we see that it can have a significant impact on download speeds and content availability and I imagine the impact on mobile experience will exponentially greater. The iPhone has done a great job of bringing mobile users to the Web, hopefully unsolicited ads won't drive them away.

[ipodtouchuser]

Great just what we need...more ads

[jumpjetta]

I'm just quivering with excitement.