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Apple’s iOS 14.5 is here: What the changes mean for Addressability and You

  • 2 min read

Apple released iOS 14.5 into the wild yesterday—an event we’ve been preparing for since Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June 2020. Now, all iOS 14.5 users will be required to give permission for apps to track and share their Identifier for Advertiser (IDFA)—Apple’s mobile ID.

Travis Clinger, Senior Vice President of Addressability and Ecosystem at LiveRamp put together this short video explaining what was announced, how it will affect advertisers and publishers going forward, and the steps they need to take now.

Anticipated impact of iOS 14.5 on addressability

With industry-wide predictions on opt-in rate around 30%, this reduction in available IDFAs means an impact on the ability for marketers to reach consumers and measure performance on mobile devices or connect data based solely on IDFA. For publishers, it means less of their inventory will be addressable, leading to lower CPMs and yield. Further, marketer interest in mobile in-app as a viable data-driven channel will decrease.

LiveRamp is here to help

Authenticated Traffic Solution (ATS) was designed with durability in mind—to withstand not only the loss of third-party cookies but also other device identifiers, including the IDFA.

Advertisers have a suite of options for advertisers to continue to connect to their consumers on iOS devices.

  1. We will continue to develop and maintain a consented IDFA graph. Although consent may be limited initially, the industry is working to drive opt-ins to enable data-driven reach and measurement on iOS devices.
  2. We’re working with ecosystem partners to implement ATS and On-Device ATS, which enable marketers to find their customers on authenticated mobile inventory. Both solutions adhere to the framework set forth by Apple.
  3. We have ATS live on thousands of domains, enabling addressability on Safari, which allows marketers to continue to reach consumers in-context on their Apple devices.
  4. You’ll continue to have access to the largest and most popular social platforms with substantial iOS penetration via LiveRamp.

Publishers should be aware that both ATS and On-Device ATS adhere to the framework set forth by Apple and enable marketers to find their customers on your authenticated iOS inventory.

  1. With demand for addressable inventory expected to soar in the coming months, there’s no better time to implement ATS and uplevel your authentication strategies.
  2. ATS places control back in your hands—own the relationship with your customers and have the ability to choose which platforms and vendors you work with.

To date, more than 400 publishers worldwide are adopting ATS, including 70% of the U.S. Comscore top 20 and 65% of the U.S. Comscore top 50. And adoption rates continue to rise. 

Get started now

Reach out to your account representative or our addressability team directly at [email protected] to schedule time to evaluate your mobile strategy.