Getting to know Apple’s new PET (privacy-enhancing technology)
Eager to learn more about AdAttributionKit? This post covers many frequently asked questions to help you get “aakquainted” with AAK.
First, let’s kick off with a little AAK TL;DR in case you don’t have time to read every question.
The Marketers TL;DR on AdAttributionKit
Here’s the too long; didn’t read rundown for AdAttributionKit.
AdAttributionKit…
- Was released with iOS 17.4 on March 5, 2024, ahead of the EU Digital Markets Act
- Received a more formal introduction during a session at Apple’s WWDC24
- Is built on SKAN fundamentals
- Replaces SKAN 5
- Is backward compatible with SKAN 4
- Has two versions:
- App AdAttributionKit (AAAK) for app-to-app campaigns
- Web AdAttributionKit (WAAK) for web-to-app campaigns
- Introduces two key new capabilities:
- Support for alternative app stores (as required by DMA)
- Reengagement support (with iOS 18+)
- Will be supported by Kochava iOS SDK v9
AdAttributionKit (AAK) Frequently Asked Questions
What is AdAttributionKit?
AdAttributionKit, or AAK, is Apple’s new privacy-enhancing technology (PET) that provides a campaign attribution framework for advertisers while protecting the privacy of individual iOS users. It was introduced with iOS and iPadOS 17.4 and is built upon the fundamentals of SKAdNetwork (SKAN).
How does AdAttributionKit work?
AdAttributionKit leverages the same components as SKAN 4, including:
- On-device attribution
- Crowd anonymity
- Hierarchical identifiers (coarse- and fine-grained)
- Anonymous data postbacks with randomized delay timers
Unlike SKAN, which worked only with Apple’s native App Store, AdAttributionKit is compatible with alternative app marketplaces/third-party app stores.
AdAttributionKit also adds support for reengagement conversions starting with iOS 18. This feature was originally announced with SKAN 5 but never released. Reengagements happen when an iOS user with an app already installed taps a custom rendered ad or the Open button on a StoreKit rendered ad. AdAttributionKit only processes reengagement conversions as a result of clicks. AdAttributionKit doesn’t create reengagement postbacks from view-through ads. As such, impression-based view-through attribution isn’t supported. To learn more about reengagement conversions under AdAttributionKit, visit Apple’s developer documentation.
The following diagram provides a simple illustration of the AdAttributionKit data flow.
To take a deeper dive into how SKAN works for versions 2 through 4, download our Ultimate Marketer’s Guide to SKAN.
Why did Apple release AdAttributionKit?
Prior to the release of AdAttributionKit, Apple had announced the 5th generation of SKAN at WWDC23. However, SKAN 5 never fully materialized. A key catalyst for the shift to AdAttributionKit was the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). This requires large digital platforms like Apple to allow third-party app stores and marketplaces. The Store Kit Ad Network (SKAdNetwork or SKAN) was built to support only Apple’s App Store. On the other hand, AdAttributionKit is designed to support alternative, third-party app stores.
Will AdAttributionKit replace SKAdNetwork?
Apple has published guidance on the interoperability of AAK and SKAN, and there are currently no announcements about SKAN being deprecated any time soon. That said, it’s clear that the future of Apple’s privacy-durable attribution for advertisers rests with AdAttributionKit. How long SKAN will be around is unknown, but it’s likely to be maintained for some time given that the industry is still running largely on SKAN 3 and just starting to prioritize SKAN 4 adoption.
The following chart shows SKAN version adoption over time. It starts near the rollout of the AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) framework with iOS 14.5 in April 2021, which propelled initial SKAN adoption. V3 dominance is beginning to decline with the adoption of v4.
When will AdAttributionKit be adopted?
While AdAttributionKit became available with iOS 17.4, industry adoption is currently minimal. Per the SKAN version adoption chart in a previous question, the industry is still largely running on SKAN 3, even though SKAN 4 was announced at WWDC22. If prior adoption trends are any indication for the pace we can expect with AAK, it’s likely to be a waiting game.
Mobile measurement partners (MMPs) like Kochava are quickly adding support for AdAttributionKit, which will allow advertisers and their developers to update their apps for support. However, publishers and ad networks must also adopt the new framework for it to properly function end-to-end on an actual campaign. This will be one of the largest dependencies. Ask your growth partners about their plans to support AdAttributionKit.
Click here to see the full list of Kochava integrated partners that support SKAN.
Will I need to update my Kochava iOS SDK to support AdAttributionKit?
Yes. AdAttributionKit relies on newer APIs which necessitate updates to the Kochava software development kit (SDK). The 9th generation of Kochava iOS SDKs, to be released later this fall, will feature full support for AAK. Many server-side controls and dashboard configurations will be backward compatible with what you have already configured in your Kochava account for SKAN, so the transition will be quite seamless.
Do I really need to use SKAN or AdAttributionKit?
If this is a question you’re pondering, we recommend reading To SKAN or Not to SKAN: That Is the Question. Aside from the catchy title, this will help you understand whether SKAN (and eventually AAK) is something you need to adopt in the near term based on your iOS growth strategy and media mix.
Over the long term, SKAN and AAK will become increasingly vital for campaign measurement on iOS, and those who do not embrace and adopt the frameworks are likely to be at a growing disadvantage. The following chart displays the attribution method/source for iOS installs beginning in January 2021. It showcases the rise of SKAN and the correlative decline of IDFA-based and probabilistic attribution (now largely dominated by owned media). As you can see, SKAN is the largest source of iOS install attribution.
Got more questions about AdAttributionKit?
Do you have other questions about AdAttributionKit that we didn’t cover? Please contact us for a deeper SKAN/AAK consultation.
If you’d like to learn more about SKAN and the transition to AAK, we recommend watching this recent webinar where Grant Simmons, VP of Kochava Foundry, joins experts from Dataseat/Verve Group and Wavemaker to unpack what marketers need to know.
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