Apple has postponed full enforcement of a feature of its upcoming iOS 14 software for iPhones that would require app developers to request users' permission to track them across apps for advertising purposes. This announcement comes in the wake of a public complaint from Facebook that the privacy policy could negatively impact the ad market in Apple's ecosystem.
The feature, announced at Apple's annual developer conference in June, would require app developers to notify a user of an app's intent to track the user's IDFA (ID for Advertisers). IDFA is used to track the user's behavior across multiple apps and deliver targeted ads based on that behavior. The change would also require the user to opt in to that tracking.
Apple now says that, while developers will be able to implement this notification and request for permission, doing so will no longer be mandatory when iOS 14 launches sometime in the next couple of months. However, Apple was careful to clarify that it still intends to establish the requirement in the future, and that this is only a delay "to give developers time to make necessary changes."Here's Apple's statement on the matter, which was published to its developer portal today:
In addition, on iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and tvOS 14, apps will be required to receive user permission to track users across apps or websites owned by other companies, or to access the device's advertising identifier. We are committed to ensuring users can choose whether or not they allow an app to track them. To give developers time to make necessary changes, apps will be required to obtain permission to track users starting early next year. More information, including an update to the App Store Review Guidelines, will follow this fall.
The delay comes in the wake of a public ploy by Facebook to rally app developers and marketers against Apple over the planned change, as the change would fundamentally threaten the viability of Facebook's business model on iOS. The social media company published a public memo warning that Apple's new policy would not only threaten the prospects of marketers and advertisers on the iPhone (Facebook itself included), but it would call into question whether Facebook would continue to support its Audience Network program (which uses IDFAs and is one of Facebook's main services for app developers and advertisers) on the platform.
The argument was that, given the choice, users would generally opt out, greatly weakening the strength of the network for advertisers.
Apple has not said when it will enact the requirements it initially announced, though—only that there has been a delay, and that more information will come this fall. Additionally, Apple used the same post to its developer portal today to announce more details about its plans to have a nutrition-label-like privacy-disclosure page for each app in the App Store.
Here's the statement:
At Apple, we believe that privacy is a fundamental human right. As announced at WWDC20, App Store product pages will feature a new privacy information section to help users understand an app's privacy practices. Today we are publishing more details for developers on what will be covered in this new privacy section. By the end of next month, you will be able to submit your information via App Store Connect to prepare for this feature rolling out to users by the end of the year.
As of today, developers can review new support documentation on what needs to be disclosed and how to disclose it on a special page in the developer portal.
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