• Bloomberg, Tuesday, July 6, 2010 1:16 PM

Looking for a competitive advantage over Google, Apple is busy studying the buying habits of many of its 150 million iTunes users to show more suitable mobile ads, Bloomberg reports. Examining consumers' entertainment and software purchases may give Apple an advantage in the burgeoning mobile ad space, Rachel Pasqua, director of mobile at marketing firm iCrossing, tells Bloomberg.

"Apple knows what you've downloaded, how much time you spend interacting with applications and knows even what you've downloaded, don't like and deleted," said Pasqua. With Apple iAd mobile ad program, which debuted last week, the tech giant can now place ads in iPhone applications for the first time. Early iAd clients include Nissan Motor, Unilever, JC Penney, Best Buy, and AT&T. Adds Bloomberg: "Relying on the music, videos and apps that customers are downloading from its iTunes, App Store and iBooks helps Apple sketch a behavioral profile that can be paired with appropriate promotional messages."

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