AppsFlyer Data Reveals Increase in User Opt-In Rates and Ad Spend on iOS Three Years After Apple’s App Tracking Transparency
San Francisco – April 26, 2024 — As the advertising industry approaches the three-year mark since the introduction of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework, new insights from AppsFlyer underscore a shift in user behavior and advertising strategies on iOS platforms.
Since its inception in April 2021, the likelihood of users opting-in to tracking in apps has been steadily rising. As marketers become more confident with measurement in this new privacy era and market conditions have improved, this is reflected in a notable increase in ad spend on iOS. AppsFlyer’s latest data, released ahead of the April 26th anniversary, sheds light on this evolving landscape.
Key findings from the data include:
1. Increasing User Opt-In Rates:
- On a global scale, 50% of users of apps now opt-in to tracking, marking a 10% increase since ATT’s rollout.
- In the UK, this figure is slightly lower than the global average: 46% of users give their consent as of Q1 2024 but still higher compared to the US which stands at 44%
- Three countries that rank higher in terms of opt-in compared to the UK are Germany (47%), France (53%) and China (53%)
- On the other side, the lowest opt-in rates were observed for Sweden (31%) and Poland (39%).
2. Surge in Ad Spend:
- 50% of apps ramped up ad spend on iOS between Q1 2023 and Q1 2024.
- Total ad spend on iOS saw a substantial 28% increase from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024, dwarfing the 5% increase observed on Android during the same timeframe.
3. Rise in Non-Organic Installs:
- Non-organic installs on iOS surged by 51% year-on-year from May 2023 to Q1 2024, compared to a 21% increase on Android over the same period.
4. Developer Adoption Rates (apps showing the consent prompt to users):
- As of Q1 2024, 84% of gaming app developers have embraced ATT, along with 68% of non-gaming app developers.
- This marks an increase of 16% and 14% respectively in adoption rates since the introduction of ATT.
The data signals a growing confidence among marketers in navigating the evolving privacy-centric landscape. Despite persistent measurement challenges, the uptick in user opt-in rates and ad spend, particularly when compared to Android, underscores a willingness to adapt to new paradigms in advertising on iOS.Commenting on the findings, Paul Wright, GM Western Europe and MENAT, at AppsFlyer, stated, “The shift towards greater user privacy has prompted advertisers to rethink their strategies, leading to a more nuanced approach to targeting and measurement. Despite initial setbacks, a steady recovery fueled by improved measurement and economic factors paints a brighter future for app marketers – as evidenced by the rise in opt-in rates and ad spend on iOS, there is a clear indication that the industry is embracing change and prioritizing user privacy.”
