Ad Tech

Media Industry Awaits the Impact of Apple's Upcoming iOS 14

Features of the new operating system have been revealed, but consequences are unclear

a phone screen with small pointer fingers floating over it — The new operating system will require new location rules and will have stricter rules about getting permission from users about data.Getty Images/ChefBoyRG

Some feared Apple would revoke its identifier for advertisers (IDFA) when it announced details of its upcoming iOS 14 rollout last month, which is the primary means for advertisers to target and track the effectiveness of their ads on iOS devices. Such a move would have replicated the rollout of intelligent tracking prevention, which has taken place in its Safari browser in recent years and slowly hurt publishers.

Though the announcement fell short of these earlier fears, Apple nonetheless threw the $45 billion in-app advertising economy a curveball.

Apple’s