Prepare iOS versions

AI-generated Key Takeaways

• This guide details changes required to make your app compatible with iOS 14, focusing on App Tracking Transparency and Publisher first-party ID.

• You need to add the NSUserTrackingUsageDescription key to your Info.plist and request user authorization for tracking to access the IDFA.

• For a better user experience, provide an explanation to users before requesting app tracking permission, potentially using the User Messaging Platform (UMP) SDK.

• Publisher first-party ID (formerly known as same app key) is enabled by default in IMA SDK for iOS 3.14.5 or higher and can be disabled using IMASettings::SameAppKeyEnabled.

• You need to disclose data usage information about your app for the App Store, as required by Apple.

first-party ID, and disclose data use in App Store for the Google Interactive Media Ads (IMA) SDK for iOS.

This guide outlines the changes needed to prepare your app for iOS 14.

Prerequisites

• Interactive Media Ads SDK 3.12.1 or higher.

Request App Tracking Transparency authorization

Key Point: If you decide to include App Tracking Transparency (ATT) in your app, you can use the User Messaging Platform (UMP) SDK to trigger an IDFA explainer that gives users some context of why you're asking for this permission. Be aware that the usage of the UMP SDK affects all users of your app.

If you're not using the UMP SDK, the rest of this page shows you how to implement the OS-level ATT authorization request manually.

To display the App Tracking Transparency authorization request for accessing the IDFA, update your Info.plist to add the NSUserTrackingUsageDescription key with a custom message describing your usage. Here is an example description text:

<key>NSUserTrackingUsageDescription</key>
<string>This identifier will be used to deliver personalized ads to you.</string>

The usage description appears in the App Tracking Transparency dialog box:

To present the authorization request, call requestTrackingAuthorizationWithCompletionHandler:. We recommend waiting for the completion callback prior to loading ads so that if the user grants the App Tracking Transparency permission, the Interactive Media Ads SDK can use the IDFA in ad requests.

Swift

import AppTrackingTransparency
import AdSupport
...
func requestIDFA() {
  ATTrackingManager.requestTrackingAuthorization(completionHandler: { status in
    // Tracking authorization completed. Start loading ads here.
    // loadAd()
  })
}

Objective-C

#import <AppTrackingTransparency/AppTrackingTransparency.h>
#import <AdSupport/AdSupport.h>
...
- (void)requestIDFA {
  [ATTrackingManager requestTrackingAuthorizationWithCompletionHandler:^(ATTrackingManagerAuthorizationStatus status) {
    // Tracking authorization completed. Start loading ads here.
    // [self loadAd];
  }];
}

For more information about the possible status values, see ATTrackingManager.AuthorizationStatus.

Key Point: For a better user experience, we recommend adding an explainer preceding the call to requestTrackingAuthorizationWithCompletionHandler: to clarify the permission and data usage to users.

Publisher first-party ID, formerly known as same app key

Note: Same app key has been renamed to Publisher first-party ID. The same app key API may change to reflect publisher first-party ID in an upcoming SDK release. This change will not impact existing activation of same app key on IMA SDKs 3.14.5+. All applicable SDK versions will process the identifier seamlessly.

Prerequisites: IMA SDK for iOS 3.14.5 or higher

The Interactive Media Ads SDK for iOS introduced Publisher first-party ID, formerly known as same app key to help you deliver more relevant and personalized ads by using data collected from your apps.

Publisher first-party ID is enabled by default, but you can always choose to disable it in your app by setting IMASettings::SameAppKeyEnabled to false:

Swift

let settings = IMASettings()
// Disables Publisher first-party ID, formerly known as same app key.
settings.SameAppKeyEnabled = false
adsLoader = IMAAdsLoader(settings: settings)

Objective-C

IMASettings *settings = [[IMASettings alloc] init];
// Disables Publisher first-party ID, formerly known as same app key.
settings.SameAppKeyEnabled = false;
IMAAdsLoader *adsLoader = [[IMAAdsLoader alloc] initWithSettings:settings];

Disclose data usage in the App Store

Apple requires that developers publishing apps on the App Store disclose certain information regarding their apps' data use. Apple has announced that these disclosures will be required for new apps and app updates starting December 8, 2020.

Learn more about the data disclosure requirements.