Ever since the introduction of Apple's SKAdNetwork (SKAN) to the advertising industry, there has been an ongoing debate about how it can be improved to protect user privacy while also benefiting app developers. Apple has continually made improvements over the years, introducing new features such as multiple postbacks, web-to-app measurement for Safari, hierarchical source IDs, and more.
SKAN 4.0 and Its Limited Adoption
Announced just over a year ago, SKAN 4.0 still struggles to gain widespread adoption. While a few top players can boast about achieving 100% SKAN 4 adoption, Apple recently dropped a bombshell at WWDC 2023 by announcing SKAN 5.0. Interestingly, there was no official presentation of this new SKAdNetwork version. Instead, bits and pieces of the upcoming update were mentioned across multiple Apple presentations, leaving room for assumptions until all the details are revealed.
Re-engagement Postback: A Game Changer for App Marketers
One of the most significant and eagerly awaited changes in SKAN for app marketers is the ability to measure re-engagement. While SKAN 5.0 is unlikely to support running re-engagement campaigns as previous versions did, it's a significant step forward for the industry.
Cris Markiewics, Senior Program Manager at the App Store, shed light on this development: "SKAdnetwork will support measuring re-engagement. In addition to measuring conversions after a user downloads your app, you'll also be able to measure conversions after a user opens your app by tapping on an ad."
Previously, advertisers had no means of seeing postbacks from user acquisition (UA) campaigns if the app was already installed on the user's device. With this update, larger app developers with high market penetration will benefit as they can now access postbacks even for existing users.
Enhanced User Privacy: Farewell to Fingerprinting
To bolster user privacy and prohibit fingerprinting, Apple is taking a significant step by requiring all third-party software development kit (SDK) developers to submit privacy manifests. These manifests will serve as justifications for the collection of different data points, detailing both the categories of data collected and the reasons for their collection.
Apple has consistently opposed fingerprinting since the inception of SKAN: "Regardless of whether a user gives your app permission to track, fingerprinting is not allowed." However, previous efforts to curb this practice fell short.
The upcoming SKAN 5.0 update could be a game-changer, as any APIs that could potentially be used for fingerprinting will be required to declare their allowed purpose of usage explicitly. Furthermore, they will only be permitted to use the collected data for the stated purposes, effectively closing the door on widely adopted fingerprinting practices within the industry.
As the advertising industry eagerly awaits the arrival of SKAN 5.0, these forthcoming changes, including re-engagement tracking and enhanced privacy measures, hold the promise of reshaping the landscape for both app marketers and users alike. Apple's continuous efforts to strike a balance between privacy and functionality are indicative of the evolving nature of digital advertising.
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