Apple delays rollout of its IDFA-related privacy

UA companies and developers can relax for a while. Apple said it would not introduce the new data privacy guidelines until next year.

The company made this decision to give more time to developers to make the necessary changes.

If you haven’t been paying attention, in June Apple announced that its new iOS 14 would enable users to easily turn off Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) for each app. IDFA is used to link an ad engagement with an eventual app install on a specific device. Without IDFA activated, it will be more difficult for mobile marketers to attribute ad spend.

Initially, the company was planning for the new policy to take effect on the launch of iOS 14. Now, however, it has been moved to early next year.

The announcement came in response to concerns from marketing companies and developers. If most users will deny IDFA tracking, it will dramatically reduce the transparency across the mobile advertising market, given that Apple’s alternative tool, SKAdNetwork, is in many ways inferior to it.

What’s more, Facebook said Apple’s new policy calls into question the future of Facebook’s Audience Network on iOS.

Mobile marketing expert Eric Benjamin Seufert wrote that the market is generally not ready for the new rules. Developers do not understand how to work with SKAdNetwork (and some of them do not understand what it is). Ad networks don’t know how they can optimize their campaigns. Ad tech platforms are just beginnning to integrate support for Apple’s SDK into their toolbox and haven’t tested it properly. Moreover, users who are accustomed to personalized ads are also not ready because now they will be confronted with random ads.