We’re committed to supporting advertisers and publishers through Apple’s requirements for iOS 14. While guidance from Apple remains limited, we are making preparations to help our partners respond to Apple’s latest updates and prepare for when Apple implements additional requirements. We recognize the need for businesses to plan in advance of these changes, and are providing updated guidance as it becomes available.
Today, we’re sharing the latest on our plans to update the Facebook and Audience Network SDKs to add support for the SKAdNetwork API. We expect to provide another update in November and as Apple provides more guidance.
The Facebook SDK
- We will release an updated version of the Facebook SDK by early Q1 to support the upcoming iOS 14 privacy feature requirements. As previously shared in September, the new version of the Facebook SDK will provide support for Apple’s SKAdNetwork API and conversion value management.
Audience Network SDK
- All publishers will need to use Audience Network SDK 6.0 or higher in order to monetize with iOS 14 users when Apple introduces their new requirements.
The latest version of Audience Network SDK (6.2) was released on Oct 26. Within the latest version, there are two important requirements to highlight:
- Implement the “setAdvertiserTrackingEnabled” flag, irrespective of the use of mediation, to inform us whether to use the data to deliver personalized ads.
- Add the suggested SKAdNetwork IDs to the Xcode project’s Info.plist in order for advertisers to measure the success of ad campaigns.
- We are also working on various products and methods to help optimize performance such as exclusively using bidding to fill ads in iOS apps beginning Q2 2021.
App Install Ads
To support partners' readiness for Apple’s privacy requirements for early next year, the following changes can be expected for running app install campaigns for iOS 14 users. We are still waiting for clarity from Apple if additional requirements will be version-based (iOS 14.1 or iOS 14.2 release onwards) or date-based (iOS 14.0 starting on a specific date).
Account Management
- We’re updating previously shared guidance to no longer require a dedicated ad account for app install ads for iOS 14. We will support the ability for advertisers to run app install campaigns for iOS 14 users from existing ad accounts. The existing ad accounts can also continue to be used for app install ads for non-iOS 14 users as well as for campaigns using any other objectives.
- Due to restrictions imposed by the SKAdNetwork API, there will be a limit on how many separate ad accounts can be used to run campaigns for iOS 14 users and we expect to provide additional details in November.
Campaign Management
- We will require advertisers to create standalone app install campaigns for iOS 14 users. If Apple implements date-based requirements, app install campaigns that are currently running that include OS version 14.0 will stop delivering, and will have a path to migrate to standalone iOS 14 campaigns.
- Due to restrictions imposed by the SKAdNetwork API, there will be limits on the number of iOS 14 campaigns and ad sets that can be active at any given time and we expect to provide additional details in November.
Optimization
- In preparation for Apple’s requirements for early next year, we will support the ability to run app install campaigns optimizing for installs (MAI) and app events (AEO). Value optimization (VO) support is expected in the weeks following Apple’s required implementation.
- In order to run app install campaigns optimizing for installs, app events or value optimization (VO), apps must be registered to use SKAdNetwork API and have implemented the ConversionValue() bits using the Facebook SDK, a supported Mobile Measurement Partner, or manually within a specific time range (all calls to updateConversionValue happen within 24 hours of install). We will be using install and post-install event data reported from SKAdNetwork API for the purpose of measurement and optimization.
Measurement
We will support measurement for app install ads optimizing for install (MAI), app events (AEO), and value optimization (VO) for iOS 14 campaigns with some limitations. These changes are the unfortunate result of SKAdNetwork’s limited capabilities.
- SKAdNetwork uses its own attribution window. Due to the aggregated nature of the data that is provided by the SKAdNetwork API, we will not be able to provide 1d, 7d, or 28d click-through or view-through attribution window breakdowns.
- Due to data being aggregated at the campaign level, reporting at the ad set and ad levels will be modeled.
- SKAdNetwork data will not support breakdowns (age, gender, region, placement, etc.) for app install or post-install event metrics.
- Due to the delay of reports from the SKAdNetwork API, events will be reported based on the time the data is returned through the SKAN API.
App Events API
- Partners who use the App Events API today will be able to continue to use the App Events API. However, support for Apple's SKAdNetwork will require changes within your app. We will be providing additional implementation details in a future update.
Supporting developers who work with Mobile Measurement Partners
- We are partnering with Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) to support interoperability of SKAdNetwork through either Facebook or MMP SDKs. This work is ongoing and requires further testing. We will provide an update as the solution is finalized.
We recognize that further details are required to plan for additional requirements created by iOS 14. Like the rest of the industry, we continue to prepare for Apple’s changes and will provide additional updates as Apple provides more guidance, with our next update.