Last Updated: May 2026
Apple Business Connect was Apple’s free platform for managing how your business appeared across Apple Maps and other iOS apps. You could claim your listing, add photos, update your hours, and essentially control the information customers see when they search for your business on iPhone.
If you’re a business owner who manages your listing on Apple, you’ve most likely noticed some new changes.
On April 14, 2026, Apple officially announced the rebrand of Apple Business Connect to Apple Business—an all-in-one platform that brings together listing management, device management, communication tools, and more.
For home service businesses, the core function is the same: claim and manage your listing to ensure customers on iPhone find accurate, up-to-date information about your business.
This article explains what changed, what it means for your home services business, and what you should do right now to ensure your business is discoverable for customers using iPhones.
The recent rebrand to Apple Business shifts how businesses can use the Apple ecosystem. Getting a handle on these changes is important for keeping your daily operations smooth and competitive in the home services market.
Here’s a clear breakdown of what’s new:
One unified platform: Brand identity and location data, previously managed by separate tools, merged into Apple Business. You can now manage your logo, photos, business hours, and other customer-facing details from a single dashboard.
Automatic data transfer: If you had a Business Connect account, your claimed locations, place card information, and photos automatically transferred over to Apple Business. So you don’t need to start from scratch.
Introduction of Apple Maps Ads: Launching in summer 2026, businesses in the U.S. and Canada will be able to run ads directly in Apple Maps. These ads appear when users search and can show up at the top of results based on relevance. To run ads on Apple Maps, you’ll need to have already claimed your location in Apple Business.
Deeper integration: Your business information now surfaces more consistently across Apple Maps, Safari, Siri, Spotlight, and more. A well-maintained listing reaches customers at more touchpoints than ever before.
If you haven't claimed your listing, Apple Business is where you do it. You'll then be ready to take advantage of upcoming features like Apple Maps Ads, making it easier for customers to find your business.
Around 100 million people use Apple Maps in the United States. When a homeowner grabs their iPhone to search for “plumber near me” or “HVAC repair in Phoenix,” Apple Maps is the default—it’s what they see instead of Google.
That’s a big portion of the market. If your listing is unclaimed or has outdated information, your business won't show up in search results, and a potential customer ends up choosing a competitor who has updated their information.
Using Apple Maps lets you reach a large group of local customers who are actively looking for services in your area, similar to how your Google Business Profile makes you more visible on Google.
Absolutely, and here’s why: they serve different audiences on different devices.
Google Business Profile reaches people searching on Android phones, desktops, and Google’s search engine. If someone types your service category into Google, your listing appears alongside the top three results in Google Maps—that’s called the local map pack.
Apple Business reaches people who use iPhones, Apple Maps, and Siri. With Apple Business, your business is reaching an entirely separate segment of customers.
In the U.S., Apple and Android make up the entire smartphone market, with Apple leading at 59% of the market share. For any business, this means it’s essential to claim your listing on both platforms to reach your customers.
There’s also another reason: local search. Your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) should match across both platforms. Inconsistencies between your Google and Apple listings can hurt your local search rankings on both. And a customer who finds discrepancies on your business listing—think different phone numbers or different operational hours—loses trust quickly and moves on to another competitor.
To stay ahead of the curve, treat both listings as essential tools for your business’s visibility.
You can sign up for Apple Business within minutes. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Sign in to Apple Business
This is the official Apple Business website. Enter your existing Apple ID associated with Business Connect, or create a new one. For existing accounts, you can switch to a business Apple ID or keep using your personal one. If you have a team managing this, it’s recommended to switch and create an Apple Account for Work.
Step 2: Enter your business details
If you never claimed a listing on Apple, you’ll be prompted to enter your business name, address, website URL, and the legal name of the person enrolling the business.
Step 3: Verify your business listing
Once you sign up, you are given 10 days to verify your business. Choose two ways of verification from Apple’s list. Once you submit the necessary information, it can take up to five business days to complete the verification process.
Step 4: Complete your Apple Maps place card
Once your business is verified, you’ll gain access to fill out your listing. Upload your logo, add photos, and fill out your business information—like your operating hours and service categories. The more complete your listing, the better you’ll perform in search.
Step 5: Keep it current
Update your listing whenever hours change, you add new services, or when you have a new promotion to highlight. Apple Business offers a Showcase feature that lets you display current offers directly on your place card in Apple Maps.
For more information, visit the official Apple Business User Guide.
Apple Maps doesn’t have its own native review platform, unlike Google Maps. Instead, it pulls reviews from third-party review sites like Yelp and other platforms that Apple integrates with.
Reviews still matter for your visibility on Apple Maps. The same factors that influence your rankings on Google—star rating, review velocity, review recency—also signal to Apple Maps that your business is active, trusted, and worth showing.
A business with a steady stream of new 5-star reviews will outperform one that hasn’t had a review in the past three months. This is where keeping up with new reviews across all platforms pays off.
An automation software like NiceJob handles this for you. Every time you complete a job, NiceJob sends a review request to your customer across all major platforms—including ones that feed your visibility on Apple Maps. You don’t have to manage your reviews manually or remember to follow up with your customers. Your reviews keep growing in the background, building your online presence across major platforms.
What happened to Apple Business Connect?
Apple Business Connect was rebranded and expanded into Apple Business on April 14th 2026. The core function, which is claiming and managing your business listing on Apple Maps, is the same. All existing Business Connect data, including claimed locations and place card information, was automatically transferred to Apple Business.
Is Apple Business free?
Yes. The core listing management features are completely free. Apple Maps Ads, launching in summer 2026, will be a paid option. There are also optional paid features available on Apple Business—like additional iCloud storage—but none are required to manage your listing.
How long does it take to appear on Apple Maps after claiming?
Your business appears on Apple Maps after your listing is verified, which typically takes about five business days, once you submit all the necessary information. To know more about what to document to submit, visit the official Apple Business User Guide.
Can service-area businesses without a storefront use Apple Business?
Yes. If you don't have a storefront or commercial location, you can list your service area without displaying a home address. This is built into the setup process and works for home service businesses.