According to the latest report, it has been almost a year since Apple launched iOS 14.5 with App Tracking Transparency, which allows users to choose whether they want to be tracked by third-party apps. While the number of users who initially chose to let apps track them was small, a new study by Adjust shows that some people have changed their minds about the option.
According to the research firm, the industry is concerned that the new app tracking transparency in iOS will hurt the mobile app market that relies heavily on ads. In May 2021, the user opt-in rate was approximately 16%. Now, that number has grown to 25 percent a year later.
When it comes to gaming, that number is even higher — 30 percent of users allow developers to collect data about their ads. These numbers are based on a global study that considers the 2,000 most popular apps in the Adjust database. In some cases, the opt-in rate for popular games is as high as 75%.
Interestingly, other studies last year showed that only 4% of users in the U.S. opted for app tracking a month after the feature was launched. Of course, Adjust notes that consent rates vary from app to app, but the company believes that more users are seeing the “value” of receiving personalized ads.
While the industry has largely adapted and begun to understand the benefits of mixing ATT opt-in, device-level data, and aggregated SKAdNetwork data, opt-in has become a key strategic starting point.
however, consent rates do vary widely, but as more users learn about the value of opting in and receiving personalized ads, expect to see a continued upward trend – the most successful content shown in the gaming industry to date.
Since the launch of App Tracking Transparency, it has sparked multiple controversies between developers and big tech companies — Facebook in particular, which still opposes Apple’s change in the privacy policy. ATT will cost Facebook $13 billion in revenue by 2022.
Apple, on the other hand, will obviously continue to roll out new privacy features in iOS.