In the fall of 2019, Apple plans to release an update to its operating system that will give users the ability to opt-in to having their Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) tracked. This move is likely to have a profound impact on the online advertising ecosystem, which is largely built on the ability to track users across devices and platforms.
IDFA is a unique identifier that is assigned to each Apple device, and is used by advertisers to track user behavior for targeted advertising. Currently, iOS users can opt-out of IDFA tracking, but most do not know about this option or how to enable it. With the upcoming update, users will be given a clear choice about whether or not they want to be tracked, and it is expected that many will choose to opt-out.
The impact of this change cannot be overstated. IDFA tracking is the bedrock of programmatic advertising, and without it there would be no way to target ads at specific individuals or measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns. The loss of IDFA tracking would also make it much harder for small businesses to compete with larger ones, as they would no longer have access to the same level of data and targeting capabilities.
There is still a lot of uncertainty about how exactly Apple’s IDFA changes will play out, but one thing is certain: they will have a major impact on the online advertising landscape.
