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The final stretch: Finalizing your ad monetization stack for iOS 14.

Previous Reading: 

September 4th, 2020: AdLibertas in Marketwatch: Apple delays privacy policy change

August 31st, 2020: Version 1: Updating your apps for iOS 14

Introduction:

If you’re still getting your arms around preparation for the new iOS release you are not alone. Even the largest, most sophisticated app developers in the world have more questions than answers on the technology changes needed for the upcoming iOS 14.5 changeover.

We’ve prepared some background and resources on the necessary changes and recommend you update well before the new OS roll-out, which Apple has slated as “early spring” meaning at earliest: March 20th – the first day of Spring.

 

What you’ll need to do:

The biggest changes for ad monetization apps is the addition of:

1. Implement the App Tracking Transparency Framework

What is it: A framework that governs the permissions to track the end-user.

Who needs it: The iOS 14 requirement for user’s opt-in to “track them or access their device’s advertising identifier.” Where “tracking refers to the act of linking user or device data collected from your app with user or device data collected from other companies’ apps, websites, or offline properties for targeted advertising or advertising measurement purposes. Tracking also refers to sharing user or device data with data brokers.” (source, Apple)

How it works: App developers requesting to track the end-user—or working with ad networks who use the IDFA– will need to prompt the user and receive the user’s permission.

How to integrate: Details are available on the Apple Website.

A note about prompts, many apps are experimenting with a pre-prompt to the end-user to help them understand – and hopefully increase the likelihood—of users opting in.

How will this affect your ad earnings? Read our predictions here.

 

2. Enable the StoreKit AdNetwork for AdNetworks

What is it: Another API introduced in iOS 14 is added for ad networks to track their campaign performance on your app (StoreKitAdNetwork, aka SKadNetwork, referred to as simply “Skad” by the cool kids) (source).

Who needs it: if you’re earning money from mobile ads, then you’re going to want to update your ad network SDKs to ensure you’re earning the maximum ad revenue possible on your traffic.

How it works: The good news is all you’ll need to do is update the SDKs & your plist, the ad tech platforms and app marketers are going to be scrambling to best use this new framework.

How you do it:

  1. Update SDKs – see below for a list.
  2. Configure the correct info.plist. Much like ads.txt this is an on-app requirement that your SDKs will need to access Skad. (source). Mopub has a great resource to allow you to generate the on-app code needed: here.

Updating SDKs:

    1. Facebook Audience Network 6.2.1+ (Source) Note: FB requires that you set the setAdvertiserTrackingEnabled field.
    2. AdMob 7.64.0+ (source)
    3. Amazon Ad Network (no support)
    4. Amazon Header Bidding TAM/APS 3.4.0+ (source)
    5. UnityAds 3.5.1+ (source)
    6. ironSource 7+ (source)
    7. Applovin 6.13.4 (source)
    8. Vungle 6.8.0 (source)
    9. Fyber FairBid 3.7.0+ (source)
    10. Fyber Marketplace 7.7.1 (source)
    11. Tapjoy 12.7.1 (source)
    12. AdColony 4.4.0 (source)
    13. MoPub 5.14+ (source)