What Does the iOS 17 Update Mean for You and Your Business?

What Does the iOS 17 Update Mean for You and Your Business?

Apple is promoting its latest iOS 17 technology as a way to “enhance the things you do every day” through user-friendly updates to existing apps and features. The online preview of iOS 17 boasts intuitive user experience changes that promise to enhance connectivity and simplify selective information sharing, along with significant visual improvements. But what does all this mean for the user information shared behind the scenes?

According to a press release on Apple's Newsroom, a significant privacy and security update is coming via a powerful new iOS 17 feature: Link Tracking Protection. This feature will automatically remove tracking parameters from links you click on through Apple's native apps like Mail, Messages, and Safari's Private Browsing mode, without affecting the functionality of those links.

How Does It Work?

Link Tracking Protection detects user-defined tracking parameters (extra pieces of information added to the end of a URL, such as UTMs) and automatically removes them, making it harder for websites to track users' online behavior and ultimately their journey from site to site. However, it becomes more difficult to identify multiple networks and channels that typically contribute to a single conversion.

From User to Marketer - Who Will Be Affected by iOS 17?

The update has its own limitations – for now. For users, browsing with any non-Apple entity (Chrome, Firefox) or in standard Safari mode will mean tracking parameters remain intact and will be automatically enabled for Apple's ecosystem, but it will give users a bit more control over whether they prefer this high level of security. Essentially, Apple cannot completely eliminate the conversion tracking feature; this is a good sign for marketers who have attribution solutions that go beyond the tools built into Google and Facebook, the platforms that will be directly affected by iOS 17.

What Does This Mean for Performance and Attribution Measurement?

We know that when consumers interact with multiple touchpoints and associated marketing techniques before making a final purchase decision, holistic campaign tracking is now more important than ever. If you view iOS 17's Link Tracking Protection through a narrow performance tracking lens rather than as a system specifically designed to support multi-touch attribution, it may sound daunting. Therefore, depending on your model, you can obtain a complete picture of your conversion rate, return on investment, and revenue.