Overview

At the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (iWWDC) 2020, Apple announced that all apps would require users to opt into tracking starting with iOS 14. This means that the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) can only be followed for users that explicitly opt-in.

IDFA and CleverTap

CleverTap is committed to complying with the new Apple privacy policy. The CleverTap iOS SDK does not track IDFA. CleverTap's iOS SDK uses Identifier for Vendors (IDFV) to track anonymous users. However, you can set anything you want as the device identifier.

Codebase Changes

Starting with the CleverTap SDK version 3.9.0 ( released August 29, 2020), we have removed all code that can access the device's advertising identifier (IDFA). The CleverTap SDK versions for iOS lower than version 3.9.0 could access IDFA; refer to tracking with the identifier for advertiser. However, these versions still did not capture IDFA automatically unless the customer configured it.

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Important

We recommend upgrading to the latest version of the CleverTap SDK for all customers using versions 3.8.2 and lower.

User Tracking

There is no impact on most of our customers because CleverTap iOS SDKs (version 3.9.0 and above) do not use IDFA to track anonymous user activity by default.

Install Attribution Events

Some attribution vendors may likely stop sending individual attribution events. Check with your attribution vendor to learn more about the possible impact.

Device Information

CleverTap tracks the following information:

• IDFV
• App version and build number
• Bundle ID
• iOS OS version
• Device model
• Cellular provider
• Network carrier
• Country code and timezone
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth information
• Device width, height, and name

The CleverTap iOS SDK is open-source, and all the device information that is captured is available in our iOS Github Repository.

App Store Connect - App Privacy

Starting from December 8, 2020, Apple requires App Privacy Details for all new apps and app updates. Refer to app store connect to understand Apple's privacy rules and app integrations with multiple third-party SDKs to make the correct decision for your app.

For help with the privacy questionnaire, see app store connect - app privacy.

App Rejection and Recommended Steps

There may be cases when your app may be rejected by Apple Review with a note that your app is not compliant with the new privacy guidelines.

Apple privacy guidelines hint at rejecting apps that specifically track users across apps and websites using IDFA. However, we recommend reaching Apple support to understand the exact reason for app rejection.

Please create a support ticket from the CleverTap dashboard if you still need further information. We would be happy to help you with any other queries.

FAQs

Q. What is IDFA?

The Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) is an alphanumeric string unique to each device you only use for advertising. Learn more about IDFA at Apple Advertising Identifier.

Q. How can I continue to access IDFA?

If you choose to implement ATT, we recommend that you pass the IDFA value as an event property with a Custom Event instead of setting it as a Custom CleverTap ID.