>Apple managed to become the most valuable company in the world without ads. Adding them after hitting that milestone feels either greedy or desperate, maybe a little of both.

The way the modern economy works they don't care for maintaining the same revenues and profit level. They need to show they do better than other stocks so people buy theirs.

So if they have to increase margins by doing whatever crap, show ads, etc they will do it.

>I’d rather pay an extra $100 for the phone than have ads all over it.

Half of your wish is granted: you already pay $100 extra for the phone or even more. On top of that, it will also have ads.