WWDC23 highlights for app marketers

As we did for the iOS 16 rollout last year, Adjust is back to deliver the top highlights from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, WWDC23. Our coverage provides insights from today’s WWDC keynote presentation, taking the lens of app developers and marketers. Buckle up because Apple dropped several announcements that are worth paying attention to.

For those app marketers still focused on Switching from SKAN 3 to SKAN 4, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Apple did not make an announcement regarding the release of SKAN 5 this year per se—it did appear briefly on a screen showing API updates during the keynote. Later, in the Platforms State of the Union, Apple also briefly provided some details, including that SKAdNetwork 5 “will support measuring of re-engagement”. Currently not possible with SKAN, this is welcome news and is something the industry has been calling for, particularly given that Google’s Privacy Sandbox on Android supports re-engagement measurement. What we can take from all of this for the time being is that Apple is continuing to develop and invest in SKAN.

Considering that many marketers are still adapting to SKAN 4 and working on How to fully leverage SKAN 4’s coarse values, measurement windows, postbacks, and lockWindow, we anticipate the SKAN 5 release to be a fair way down the line. When the times comes, we’ll be here to support our clients with solutions as always.

Our take: We recommend app marketers tackle SKAN 4 now to make the most of their iOS campaigns. We understand that SKAN measurement can seem complex, which is why we’ve built Conversion Hub, Adjust’s all-in-one solution to help app marketers effectively apply conversion value mapping.

Announced later in the day, Apple gave an update on ‘What’s new in privacy on the app store’. In line with their continued development of data-privacy preserving initiatives and technologies, Apple is introducing some new features.

1. New privacy manifests: Aimed at helping developers understand how third-party SDKs use data. Xcode will provide files outlining privacy practices of the third-party code in an app, combine the privacy manifests for all SDKs found, and send it to the developer in an easy-to-use report.
2. Required reasons for APIs: To provide additional privacy protection, apps referencing APIs flagged as potentially using fingerprinting—which is banned by Apple—will be required to select an allowed reason for the usage of that API, which will be declared in the privacy manifest.
3. SDK signatures: To improve clarity in the software supply chain when using third-party SDKs, Apple is introducing new SDK signatures that Xcode will validate.

Apple will provide more information later in the year, including a list of SDK’s determined to have a high impact on user privacy, the list of ‘required reasons’ for APIs, a developer feedback form, and additional documentation on signatures and privacy manifests. As always, Adjust fully supports these updates and is dedicated to the continued privacy-centric development of the mobile marketing industry. We will provide more guidelines on how to best navigate these changes as they are made public by Apple.

Now, back to the keynote.

While much of the news related to iOS 17 had to do with message improvements and contact posters, Apple introduced a new experience app marketers might find interesting. The new horizontal experience, called “StandBy” mode, is for the always-on Lock Screen of the iPhone 14 Pro series. Users can rotate their iPhone to display it horizontally on a stand and the iPhone’s Lock Screen will stay on, showcasing weather forecasts, calendar appointments, and notifications.

Our take: We can’t stress enough the value of a successful push notification marketing strategy. While they’ve always been essential to user engagement, now that your notifications could be featured on an always-on Lock Screen, it’s essential to make sure you’ve tested and optimized them for success.

A long-anticipated announcement finally came regarding the release of Vision Pro, Apple’s virtual reality (VR) gaming headset. It’s the first time in years that Apple is unveiling a new product category ,and the world is here for it! The headset consists of a pair of goggles with a curved front, complete with a high-specs external screen and external cameras. This structure exists to show the user’s facial expressions and allow them to connect the external world with the viewed virtual reality. In other words, users can experience a high-quality image of the real world overlaid with virtual objects, allowing users to switch between VR and augmented reality (AR). “Blending digital content with the real world…(Vision Pro) will introduce us to spatial computing,” stated Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook.

The keynote then addressed developers directly, sharing the exciting capabilities for them with Vision Pro. Not only do they welcome app developers to create apps for Vision Pro, but to reimagine pre-existing ones for an immersive user experience.

Our take: Although Vision Pro won’t hit stores until 2024, it’s a giant step for Apple into The future of the metaverse and could be for app developers as well. Bloomberg reports that the headset will allow users to access iPad games, sports, and fitness apps via Apple’s TV app. We anticipate metaverse apps will rise up alongside VR headsets like the Vision Pro, and the early movers in the AR/VR app market could enjoy massive success.

Well, that sums up our review of WWDC23! We work hard at Adjust to keep app marketers updated on the latest trends and industry changes. From our Mobile app trends: 2023 edition to our ebook on Mastering CTV in 2023, we hope you find our resources helpful.

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