Ad Network, Analytics, and iOS 14.

Solar2D Monetization (in-app purchases, ads, etc.)
#1

Coming this fall Apple iOS 14 will ask the user permission before providing access to IDFA. All ad networks, ad mediators, analytics services and attribution services are either working on an update or have a beta plugin available.

I don’t believe most of our plugins will break, but I suspect that the eCPM will be considerable reduced if an ad provider can’t count an install (especially if they are a CPI network), and all the attribution providers will have incomplete install data. From my reading this weekend the services providers mostly fall into 3 camps. Those who are creating their own ids (GameAnalytics), those that will or have a UI to request access (probably a small percentage will give access), and those who plan to use the newish API.

My current plan is to create a plugin of Tenjin and any ad network that comes out first with a solution. I was wondering what other people are planning?

Update as of August 7th:
– Appsflyer has a iOS 14 beta version. (SKAdNetwork support)
– GameAnalytics just released a iOS 14 compliant version. (SKAdNetwork support)

Updates as of August 12th:
– AdColony (SKAdNetwork support)

Updates as of August 14th:
– Ironsource released SDK7 (SKAdNetwork support)

Updates as of August 19th:
– Admob released version 7.64.0: Prepare your apps for iOS 14 Apple announced the new AppTrackingTransparency framework, which requires changes to your iOS apps. Implement the GMA SDK 7.64.0 (or later) and set up consent messaging to help prevent a significant loss in ad revenue.

#2

Yeah, I was thinking about this too and how it will affect my game and existing Solar plugins. I suppose this means that the SDKs of all the service providers relying on IDFA need to be updated, which in turn would require updated Solar plugins?

Haven’t had time to look into this in more detail yet, but will surely have to do so. Thanks Apple for another breaking change from one iOS version to the next… :frowning:

I’m currently using GameAnalytics, Flurry, Appsflyer and Appodeal. Does anyone know if/how these services will become affected and if they will require updated plugins?

#3

– GameAnalytics is working on their new version. I was told they’ll have it out next month.
– Flurry update is in the works. They have not given me a date but I can ask my rep.
– Appsflyer will need an update. As far as I have read they are working on it.
– Appodeal I believe already has beta out with a new dialog box.

What worries me is that I don’t believe any of these will just work with a simple library update. New calls or properties will need to be added.

#4

Thanks, great to hear that you seem to have some insights. It would be fantastic if you could post any further news in this topic.

I agree that it is worrying that we don’t know yet what changes will be needed, and speaking for myself I have no idea how to update a plugin so right now I’m totally relying on somebody else to do it.

One can only hope that the “IDFA consent flag” will default to false for the different SDKs, and thereby maybe even making it possible to run on old SDKs. I can’t see how more than a few percent of users will agree to consent anyway from that scary looking iOS prompt…

@vlads, have you planned any dev time for this? I’d say that having ads and analytics working in iOS 14 has to be top priority for anyone with an app in the App Store.

1 Like
#5

I just read this blog post from AppsFlyer: https://www.appsflyer.com/blog/skadnetwork-solution-ios14/

A new AppsFlyer SDK will be released soon. Not sure what it means for the Solar plugin, but from the tone of the article I get the feeling that it should be fairly easy to integrate the new SDK.

#6

Just received mail from Flurry that a new SDK 11.0.0 supporting iOS 14 has been released.

Can we expect the official Solar Flurry plugin to be updated to support this before the release of iOS 14?

Dear Flurry Customer,

We are pleased to release our iOS 14 compliant SDK version 11.0.0. Please see here for documentation on upgrading to the newest version for your iOS mobile apps.

To clarify, Flurry Analytics complies with iOS 14 because the service is based on the Identifier for Vendors (IDFV) and not the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA). After iOS 14 launches, Flurry cannot use any data for advertising unless your end users opt-in, since the identifier will not be passed by Apple. For uninterrupted use of Flurry Analytics, you can and should continue to use the latest Flurry SDK. Whether or not your end user gives permission for “data tracking,” there is no impact on Flurry Analytics functionality or accuracy.

Regardless of your decision to serve the consent prompt, we strongly recommend that you upgrade to the latest Flurry SDK version. Should you decide to serve the prompt immediately, or in the future, your users’ opt-in status will be passed into Flurry. In addition, our new SDK enables you to pass your Conversion Values to Flurry as a standard Flurry User Property. With this new feature, you’ll be able to use Flurry to analyze your users’ Conversion Values with actual post-install behavior.

#7

Current versions that support iOS 14:

  1. AdColony SDK 4.3 Network Id: “4PFYVQ9L8R”, “YCLNXRL5PM”, “V72QYCH5UU, 'TL55SBB4FM”, “T38B2KH725”, “PRCB7NJMU6”, “PPXM28T8AP”, “KLF5C3L5U5”, HS6BDUKANM",“C6K4G5QG8M”,“9T245VHMPL”,“9RD848Q2BZ”, “8S468MFL3Y”,“7UG5ZH24HU”, 4FZDC2EVR5", “4468KM3ULZ”, “3RD42EKR43”, and “2U9PT9HC89”.
  2. Admob released version 7.64.0 Network Id: “cstr6suwn9”
  3. Ironsource SDK 7. Network Id: “SU67R6K2V3”
  4. Appsflyer 6.0.1.
  5. UnityAd 4.3.7 Network Id: “4DZT52R2T5” and
    “bvpn9ufa9b”
#8
  1. GameAnalytics: Changes in v.3.2.0
    updated user identifier flow to prepare for iOS 14 IDFA changes (ios)
  2. Flurry Analytics: 11.0.0
    Added support for iOS 14 App Tracking Transparency.
#9

Nice to get a compiled list of all the supporting SDKs!

I still have a hard time wrapping my head around what this whole iOS 14 privacy thing means for the Solar2D plugins…? I guess that basically all plugins will require some kind of update? Is anybody working on this (@vlads)? Will the official plugins get updated? Or do we have to figure out solutions by ourselves?

I’m getting quite nervous about this whole thing because nobody (not just within Solar2D) seem to know exactly what it means for iOS apps and how Apple will react to apps not following the new privacy guidelines.

Best case is probably that apps can continue to function without SDK updates, but that means that attribution, ads and analytics will work significantly worse or not at all.

Worst case I suppose is that Apple will reject any app submissions that violate the privacy guidelines in any way, including updates of existing apps? Who knows, they might even remove existing apps from the App Store if issues are not addressed quick enough.

Finally, I don’t understand why there’s not more talk about this here at the forums when iOS 14 is just around the corner? It must be in every Solar2D developer’s interest to get this sorted out. At least if you have any plans of making money from apps in the App Store in the future… :thinking:

#10

I am with you on this Markus_Ranner. My understanding is that the ad plugins are being updated. This was mentioned on one of the posts on here recently:

AdMob emailed me recently about “Update to iOS 14-compatible IMA SDK” and said:
“Update to the latest IMA SDK to avoid potential negative ad revenue impact”

I will hold off on updates now until the ad plugins are updated.

1 Like
#11

I’m aware of the issue and working on the update(s).

2 Likes
#12

Sounds good @vlads. Keep us posted with any news.

1 Like
#13

Facebook blog about it:

#14

I emailed Flurry about their plugin.

Nathalie Owen, Aug 25, 2020, 12:35 PM PDT:

Hello Tim,

Thank you for contacting Flurry Technical Support. That plugin is managed by a third party, rather than by Flurry, so whether or not it will work with the iOS 14 compatible SDK(11.0.0) is dependent on the plugin manager.

Please let me know if you have further questions or concerns.

Regards,
Nathalie

#15

This is my current understanding of the situation. The old plugins will not ask for the IDFA since it is an explicit call to request IDFA. They will get a bunch of 0s.

If you use a new plugin 2 things will happen.

  1. It will ask for permission to use IDFA and if granted it will work as usual.
  2. If not and it has implemented the new id system the service will receive aggregated data.

At least that is what I understand currently.

2 Likes
#16

Has the API to ask for permission to use IDFA been implemented in Solar yet?

#17

Just a bit of information: Kochava Analytics also sent a message that they are -obviously- making changes for iOS 14. Wanted to add that to the list :slight_smile:

#18

I am not aware of any plugin or changes to Solar2d to ask for IDFA.

#19

Just to add some more data to this

  • Adjust is also updating its SDK for iOS 14/Solar 2D “in the next week or 2.”
  • Facebook is suppposed coming out with an updated iOS 14 SDK shortly for attribution.

It’s a mad dash for everyone…

#20
  • Firebase is another one that’s updating.

Also for any custom plugins that we have that needs updating, do we need to have Solar2D updated to support iOS14 first before we can do the custom work on our end?