EU Advertisers Criticize New App Tracking Privacy Controls in iOS 14

[mcLamer]

Thank you Apple! Simply outrageous that these business have the audacity to complain about Apple making developers inform and receive consent for tracking.

Do you realise that this is Apple who have designed and developed this advertisement identifier for user tracking purposes?

You can disable tracking since iOS 9, IIRC, every app will get their own random id, making it useless.
EU GDPR requires apps to get consent from users to serve personalised ads since 2018.

Apple just.. okay

 

[gleepskip]

I tell you what...point me in the direction of one of your apps and, if it's a reasonable price, I will go pay for it right now...to support a struggling developer...

I doubt you'll find you can pay for it. They probably made it free with ad tracking and now they are pissed because their revenue stream is about to vanish.

I don't mourn the loss of predatory businesses of any type.

 

[bookofxero]

Then you are not developing whatever app you are developing - you are developing an app delivery mechanism. Be clear and honest with yourself and everyone here.

Apps are very different than websites. They cost much more money to make and often the operating cost is higher. I do both.

Ads in apps also pay much more than ads on websites. It's not uncommon to have a eCPM from interstitial ads well north of $20. Going to generic ads you would be lucky for that to be a $1. People can't operate them at that cost.

 

[Frantisekj]

Not sure if someone mentioned something like that already but we may came back to days when at computer magazine you have found adds about computers and such stuff and not underwear you saw yesterday. It could support good journalism as good sites will keep visitors and will be able generate some results for advertisers.

 

[TVOR]

No, everybody deals with annoying incessant popups on every single website asking to allow cookies. There's usually not even a "no" button. Devs deal with difficult-to-implement rules to the point where big corps like Facebook are *pro-GDPR* because it kills competition. Lawmakers don't understand technology, give it 100 years.

When it is a legal requirement for a website to do something then most people are accepting of it...no matter how annoying!! However, when you have the CHOICE to not be tracked then most people will choose not to. And if you don't understand that people will react differently when something is a legal requirement and when it is a choice then Iguess there is no point in trying to convince you!
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I doubt you'll find you can pay for it. They probably made it free with ad tracking and now they are pissed because their revenue stream is about to vanish.

I don't mourn the loss of predatory businesses of any type.

That was what I was expecting! A developer that (probably) doesn't even offer a paid for app is complaining that nobody pays for apps!!

 

[grjj]

Here’s a thought. Pay us for our data. Then you can sell it with our express consent. Everyone profits. There. Problem solved. Personally wouldn’t sell my data though.

They 'pay' you with the 'free' service you so enjoy using.

 

[gleepskip]

They 'pay' you with the 'free' service you so enjoy using.

That is correct. And that's the practice that needs to end unless the user (18y+) explicitly opts in.

 

[Puonti]

Maybe 1 in 1000 will buy an ad free version of an app at a dollar or two let alone subscribe to something.

What name do you develop under on the App Store? I'm genuinely curious what kinds of apps you create.

 

[mcLamer]

That was what I was expecting! A developer that (probably) doesn't even offer a paid for app is complaining that nobody pays for apps!!

I can share some my data with you. In our applications we offer the following options:
1) Free with ads, we aren't greedy and show them from time to time in reasonable moments
2) One time fee (small one)
3) Per year subscription (even smaller fee)

We have tons of complains about ads, people hate us in reviews, everyone wants apps for free with adequate support and without any advertisements.
As result we get 95-98% of our income from ads.

 

[TVOR]

I can share some my data with you. In our applications we offer the following options:
1) Free with ads, we aren't greedy and show them from time to time in reasonable moments
2) One time fee (small one)
3) Per year subscription (even smaller fee)

We have tons of complains about ads, people hate us in reviews, everyone wants apps for free with adequate support and without any advertisements.
As result we get 95-98% of our income from ads.

The complaints could be solved if you removed the ad-supported option. If there are no ads then nobody can complain about them!

And yes, people want apps for free...blah blah...and I'm sure people want Ferraris for free...but they can't get them for free...so they either pay for them...or they don't! And Ferrari are doing OK as far as I can tell!

Once again, and I don't mean this disrespectfully, but if you think you would lose 98% of your revenue if you ditched the ad-supported version then I honestly don't believe that your app can offer that much value to people. I have quite a few free apps on my phone (mainly throwaway games) that are fun, that I completely ignore the ads on - put the phone down and do something else for a minute every time one of those 30 second ads comes on - and which I would not miss for a second if they disappeared. Then there are other apps which I use all the time, paid for, would miss if they disappeared, but would honestly find alternatives for if I had to.

Things that provide value, people will pay for, but only if you don't give them a "free" option! The second you provide that free option, people will take it...and then they will bitch about it...and will leave crappy reviews! If you believe in your product, ditch the free option and let people vote with their wallet!

EDIT: Just out of interest...what's the app?

 

[gleepskip]

I can share some my data with you. In our applications we offer the following options:
1) Free with ads, we aren't greedy and show them from time to time in reasonable moments
2) One time fee (small one)
3) Per year subscription (even smaller fee)

We have tons of complains about ads, people hate us in reviews, everyone wants apps for free with adequate support and without any advertisements.
As result we get 95-98% of our income from ads.

I can share some my data with you.
1) I have bought many, many apps over the years
2) Some have a one-time fee
3) Some are subscription-based

I don't use apps that rely on ads or micro-transactions.

 

[jonnysods]

To see them complain is music to my ears. Looking forward to these features on our family devices.

 

[Applfan81]

hahaha * off #google #Facebook !!! Privacy trumps your greedy ways! Reading this just makes me realize how screwed up internet has become.. If #Apple keeps on this course I will stay with them forever! ❤️

 

[mcLamer]

I can share some my data with you.
1) I have bought many, many apps over the years
2) Some have a one-time fee
3) Some are subscription-based

I don't use apps that rely on ads or micro-transactions.

Unfortunately you are in minority now.

I develop apps for mobile market for living since Palm OS 3.2, and it was by far easier for me to sell $10-$25 apps than now to sell $1-2 games

In my option microtransactions should be banned. It's just a scam to sell gems to unlock chest with a chance to get a part of some sword.

 

[malkovich87]

Oh no!

yup, I’m so sorry these greedy b******s want to keep spying on us.

 

[mcLamer]

The complaints could be solved if you removed the ad-supported option. If there are no ads then nobody can complain about them!

And yes, people want apps for free...blah blah...and I'm sure people want Ferraris for free...but they can't get them for free...so they either pay for them...or they don't! And Ferrari are doing OK as far as I can tell!

I'm sure than my wife will complain and you know, better I will listen to users

Generally you unable to get Ferrari for free or this is quite risky, the apps and cars markets are different.There is no Ferrari on apps market, almost every app can be replaced by something very similar and most of them will be free.

I agree that if you have an app with great value and your competitors unable to provide something similar at better price you will be the king of App Store. Unfortunately the top apps are free and made especially to share personal data.

Sorry, I'm unable to disclose companies I am working with, nor want to discuss my apps. This allows me to speak freely

 

[fairuz]

When it is a legal requirement for a website to do something then most people are accepting of it...no matter how annoying!!

Nope, everyone hates popups, nobody cares about cookies, nobody even knows what cookies are. Companies find loopholes to track you anyway. Would be a different story if you could just say in one place "never track me without asking first."

 

[TVOR]

Nope, everyone hates popups, nobody cares about cookies, nobody even knows what cookies are. Companies find loopholes to track you anyway.

You do you then my friend! There is no way that I am going to get annoyed at a company for doing something they are legally obliged to do! Sure, it's frustrating, but I don't get annoyed with the website. I stand by my point, app developers have a choice whether to do this. If they choose to do this kind of crap then I will block it at every opportunity.

 

[fairuz]

You do you then my friend! There is no way that I am going to get annoyed at a company for doing something they are legally obliged to do! Sure, it's frustrating, but I don't get annoyed with the website. I stand by my point, app developers have a choice whether to do this. If they choose to do this kind of crap then I will block it at every opportunity.

I don't blame the website, I blame the dumb laws that make them do it. Also, most people don't understand technology like people on this forum do. If YOU care so much, why don't you just disable cookies and such?

 

[R3k]

Right, so everyone down with Google Search, Maps, Gmail, Sheets, Docs, Facebook, Instagram, Macrumors, Twitter being subscription services?

Perhaps your ISP can bundle them together for $20 extra a month..”The essentials package”

I don’t like being tracked either, but some of the privileged here should consider what they get from selling their data.

 

[Skeptical.me]

Oh, no! They're upset I'll have some control over who can track me across my internet travels. Poor poor advertising snoops. This is one thing I applaud Apple for.

The choice to block tracking in iOS, and my ASUS router running Merlin with Diversion and Skynet (blocking everything you can imagine) makes me feel a little better.

 

[ericwn]

Nope, everyone hates popups, nobody cares about cookies, nobody even knows what cookies are. Companies find loopholes to track you anyway. Would be a different story if you could just say in one place "never track me without asking first."

That would put all the responsibility on the company offering you that switch - but not everything is in the hands of just one company.

 

[fairuz]

That would put all the responsibility on the company offering you that switch - but not everything is in the hands of just one company.

Everything can be in the hands of an internet standard. There used to be an implicit "do not track" browser option. It was removed because in general it did the opposite, encouraged tracking. There was no law at the time.

 

[ericwn]

Everything can be in the hands of an internet standard. There used to be an implicit "do not track" browser option. It was removed because in general it did the opposite, encouraged tracking. There was no law at the time.

It’s doubtful that every country will want to work with the same standard or regulation authority. Plus - would this also include apps these days? Just not sure who would want to take that on.

 

[Nuno Lopes]

Now this is a move from Apple I fully support. I guess they homesite will not work without users approval of these terms so is up to the user ... Lovely!!!!!!