Today Apple?s iAd officially launched and eMarketer predicts that the platform will help grow mobile display advertising 59.7 percent this year to reach $166 million.

With Google and Apple entering the fray, eMarketer estimates United States mobile advertising spending is set to grow 42.5 percent this year, reaching $593 million. By 2013, the total U.S. mobile advertising market is expected to reach $1.56 billion ? a cumulative average growth of 37 percent from 2008.

Mobile display spending in the U.S. will grow 50.6 percent from 2008 to 2013, reaching $546 million that year. According to a December report from Morgan Stanley, total worldwide mobile advertising revenue is expected to reach $15 billion, up from just $5 billion this year.

Here is what some industry executives think of the launch of the new platform:

Thom Kennon, vice president of strategy at Wunderman, New York
It is interesting talking about this and how cohesive and disruptive it is going to be.

Apple does not want to get into the business of making commercials, but they are trying to control the ecosystem.

It will likely be disruptive for advertising and distribution models and at the same time may be a barrier to entry for many brands.

The rest of the industry is going to have to respond to it. But Apple is in an artificial world. No one player should or could have that control.

Wendy P. Riches, chief strategy officer at Meredith Corp., Des Moines, IA
I don?t like anything that takes $60 million for me to get something in front of customers.

I don?t think Apple, hard as they will try, can have the control they are seeking.

We are seeing the battle of the titans and they wont win it all no matter how hard they try.

Paul Gelb, national manager for emerging media, Razorfish, New York
I think that there are a few things.

Just having someone like Apple and Steve Jobs as a creative force in the space is a huge advantage for driving attention and pushing the boundaries of where it can go.

He did a good job turning $250,000 in average ad spend to $10 million.

He proved the validity of rich ad experiences.

He really speaks to CMOs to tap into those print and TV budgets.

At the end of the day we are in a better place and he is laying the gauntlet for a great competition.

The more they compete the better for everyone

Jennifer Okula, vice president of client and market development, Millward Brown?s Dynamic Logic
If advertisers are going to spend $60 million on the first round of iAd they want to know how it performs and are not just going to take Apple?s word for it. They need to request third party analytics.

Carrie Seifer, New York-based vice president of sales at Millennial Media
Having someone like Apple help validate what we have been building for the last two years is great.

People are calling us to come and say that we know iPhone was 4 percent of the market. How do we get to the rest?

There is a big part of the country that lives on the mobile Web, while iAd lives in-applications. It has helped validate some stuff we have been doing.

Noah Elkin, Senior Analyst at eMarketer, New York
Apple?s entrance into the mobile advertising market in such a high-profile fashion undeniably serves as a validation of the medium.

But whether and the extent to which it will lift all mobile advertising?or just mobile display?is still an open question.

Apple has set a high bar for performance, but the awareness Apple has generated about iAd, which transcends the marketing community at this point, should work in favor of iAd advertisers, who will also get to bask in Apple?s glow.

The novelty factor associated with the first round of iAd likely could contribute to high levels of consumer engagement, similar to the boost in sales (and buzz) Wired magazine saw when its iPad app was released.

The larger question, however, is whether Apple?s halo effect will last with the iAd platform.

The proof ultimately lies in the effectiveness of the campaigns once they are in-market.

Taylor Burton, account manager for channel partners at Augme, New York
It's going to be interesting. It's going to be a gamechanger.

Clay Elliot, head of business development at Tagga, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
It will depend on how captive Apple is able to keep its audience, especially in light of competitors coming out with products that can compete as far is interface is concerned.

Kim Geralds, director of Marketing for Syniverse Technologies, Tampa, FL
I think early adopters - those types of marketers are going to jump in feet first.

The rest of marketers are going to evaluate and take a look at it first.

But its going to be one of those things where you have to play no matter what. Like brands grabbing up URLs. You've got to grab your space on iAd.