Apple iAd kills off Quattro mobile ad network

Multiplatform service is ditched in favour of Apple's iPhone-only ad system

Apple has announced it will no longer accept advertising campaigns on the Quattro Wireless Network, the mobile advertising platform it acquired in January this year.

The company will wind down existing campaigns on the Quattro platform and, from 30 September, will only support mobile ads on its iAd network.

A statement on the Quattro website said: "We believe iAd is the best mobile ad network in the world, and starting next month we're going to focus all of our resources on the iAd advertising platform."

Quattro Wireless Network spanned mobile websites as well as a range of mobile platforms, including Apple's iPhone and Google Android. In contrast, iAd only works with devices that run iOS 4 - that is, Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the iAd advertising platform in April
(Photo credit: James Martin/CNET)

iAd went live on 1 July and enables advertisers to place adverts within applications running on the iOS 4 software platform. It allows users to remain in an app while viewing or interacting with the advert, as well as buying and downloading apps or iTunes content via the adverts.

The mobile advertising market has ramped up in recent times: Google finalised the acquisition of mobile advertising company AdMob in May this year, while RIM is rumoured to be looking to buy its own mobile advertising network and Nokia announced it was to buy mobile analytics company Motally earlier this week.