Bug fix included in iOS 17.5 beta
During recent testing, our team encountered a critical issue affecting app performance on iOS devices running versions 17.4.0 and 17.4.1. The issue is related to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework and opt-in status reporting.
Here’s what you need to know:
Apple is aware of the bug and included a fix in iOS 17.5 beta
Apple is aware of the issue, and it appears they included a fix in iOS 17.5 beta, released on April 4. The full production release of iOS 17.5 is expected in late April or early May.
See Apple’s resolved issues notice in their iOS & iPadOS 17.5 Beta 3 Release Notes.
What does the bug do?
The bug causes the ATT framework to prematurely return a “denied” status, irrespective of a user’s eventual response to the ATT prompt. This means that even if a user chooses Allow Tracking, the ATT status provided to the app and its SDKs may still be returned as though they selected Ask App Not to Track.
How does this bug impact you?
If your app is not prompting users for consent to track via the ATT framework, then this bug will not affect your iOS app.
If your app is prompting users for consent to track via the ATT framework, then the inaccurate reporting of ATT status may cause a drop in your ATT opt-in rates for users on iOS 17.4 and the corresponding collection of the identifier for advertisers (IDFA). In turn, this may reduce the volume of IDFA-attributable conversions as well as those matched via other consented attribution methods. We recommend monitoring your iOS attribution reports to gauge any impact of the bug on paid campaign performance and coordinating with your media partners on any contingency plans.
IMPORTANT
SKAdNetwork (SKAN) attribution and reporting are not impacted.
Quantifying the impact
How much has this bug affected ATT opt-in rates among apps that prompt?
Prior to version 17.4.0, we observed that the overall average ATT opt-in rate was around 45%. Isolating traffic running on iOS 17.4.0 and 17.4.1, we observe an average ATT opt-in rate of approximately 25%. These opt-in rates will vary depending on app category and region.
Stay tuned for updates
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If you have specific questions or need help reviewing your ATT opt-in rates in analytics, please contact your client success manager or email Support@Kochava.com. Our team is here to support you and help minimize disruption to your app’s performance.
