Apple expands AdAttributionKit with new tracking features for mobile ads

Apple announced major updates to its AdAttributionKit mobile advertising framework on June 11, 2025. The changes address key problems that have frustrated mobile marketers for years while maintaining user privacy protections.

The announcement comes about four months after iOS 18.4 introduced these features to developers. Apple engineers Mike Maliszewski and Yuchi Zhang detailed the enhancements during a technical presentation that highlighted the most significant expansion of the privacy-focused attribution system since launch.

Track Multiple Campaigns at Once

The biggest change lets apps track multiple advertising campaigns simultaneously. Before this update, iOS apps could only measure one active campaign at a time, creating headaches for advertisers running several promotions.

According to Apple's documentation, "Up until iOS 18.3, your app can only have one active re-engagement conversion at any point in time. As of iOS 18.4, your app can now have multiple active re-engagement conversion windows at the same time."

This works through "conversion tags" - unique labels that identify specific campaigns. When users see ads for different products in the same app and tap them, each interaction gets its own tag. Developers can then track which actions users take and link them back to the right original ad.

To use this feature, developers must add a specific setting to their app's configuration file. The system then automatically adds these tags to the links that open when users tap ads.

Control When Ads Get Credit

Apple introduced custom attribution rules that let advertisers decide how long an ad remains eligible for getting credit for conversions. This fixes a major limitation where all ads had the same fixed time windows for attribution.

Previously, all click-through ads got credit for up to 30 days, and view-through ads for just one day. Now advertisers can set different time periods based on their campaign goals and ad networks.

The system supports two main controls. First, advertisers can set attribution windows for different types of ads and networks. A direct response campaign might use a 10-day window, while a brand awareness campaign could extend to 20 days.

Second, advertisers can create "cooldown periods" after conversions happen. According to the framework documentation, "After a conversion, you can set a cooldown period in the Info.plist, during which time any other conversions are not attributed." This prevents one ad from stealing credit that should go to another.

For example, if someone installs an app after clicking an ad, then immediately taps a different ad, the second ad won't get credit during the cooldown period. This ensures the original ad gets proper recognition for driving the install.

Location Data for Better Targeting

AdAttributionKit now includes country information in its reports, helping advertisers understand geographic performance. This data comes from the App Store region where users downloaded apps or from alternative app stores.

According to Apple's specification, "For apps installed from the App Store, country code in the postback is derived from the App Store storefront that the app was downloaded from based on the location selected in user's Account Settings."

The location data follows Apple's privacy rules. Country codes only appear when enough users from that country have similar conversions, preventing individual tracking while still providing useful geographic insights.

Alternative app stores can include their own country data through verification tokens that Apple validates before adding to reports.

Easier Testing Without Real Ads

iOS 18.4 added the ability to create test attribution reports directly in the Settings app. Developers no longer need to set up complex ad campaigns just to test their tracking systems.

The new testing system lets developers configure fake conversions with different data levels and properties. They can test how their servers handle various types of attribution reports without running actual advertising campaigns.

According to the documentation, developers can "configure the postback to represent any type of conversion you would like by editing the properties." This includes testing the new country code feature and different data quality levels.

Test reports use different security signatures and special identifiers so they don't get confused with real advertising data.

Industry Expert Perspective

Mobile marketing specialist Lucas Moscon highlighted the significance of these changes in a LinkedIn post, noting the key improvements but emphasizing a crucial limitation.

"You can now have multiple active re-engagement conversion windows simultaneously in your apps. Previously, only one conversion was active at a time," Moscon explained to his network of marketing professionals.

He outlined the other major features: custom attribution rules for different ad networks, cooldown periods to prevent conversion overlap, geography data for optimization, and improved testing capabilities.

However, Moscon emphasized the critical dependency on ad network adoption: "All of this is great, but it means nothing if the ad networks don't start utilizing it and signing the postback with this new framework."

His comment reflects industry frustration with slow adoption of Apple's attribution improvements. Major advertising platforms often take months or years to implement new measurement features, limiting their immediate usefulness for marketers.

Technical Implementation Details

The attribution rule system works through configuration files that developers modify in their apps. Advertisers can set global rules that apply to all ad networks or create specific rules for individual partners.

The configuration supports excluding certain ad types entirely from specific networks. If an ad network focuses only on video ads, advertisers can ignore all their display ad interactions.

When multiple configuration levels exist, the system follows a clear priority order. Specific ad network settings override global rules, which override Apple's default settings. This ensures advertisers maintain full control over their attribution logic.

The conversion tag system operates entirely on users' devices, with tags generated locally and sent through existing link mechanisms. No additional user data gets collected, maintaining privacy while enabling better campaign organization.

Privacy Protection Maintained

All new features maintain AdAttributionKit's privacy-first design through crowd anonymity algorithms. The geography data specifically requires higher user volume thresholds than existing attribution data.

According to Apple's engineering team, "The crowd anonymity tier that qualifies for country code presence in the postback will be a bonus tier on top of the four crowd anonymity tiers we enforce today." This means location data only appears when sufficient user activity masks individual behavior patterns.

The multiple conversion tracking operates entirely through on-device tag generation, with no additional user monitoring. Attribution rule changes affect timing algorithms rather than data collection scope.

Impact on Mobile Marketing

These AdAttributionKit improvements solve persistent mobile advertising measurement problems. The ability to track multiple campaigns simultaneously eliminates attribution confusion that has affected advertisers running diverse promotional strategies.

Custom attribution rules provide crucial flexibility for different campaign types. Performance campaigns targeting immediate conversions can use shorter attribution windows, while brand campaigns can extend measurement periods to capture delayed engagement.

Geography data enables location-based optimization that has been largely impossible under privacy-focused frameworks. This supports international expansion and regional campaign customization without compromising user privacy.

The enhanced testing capabilities reduce development time by eliminating complex ad interaction requirements during implementation phases. Development teams can validate their tracking systems without coordinating with ad networks or publisher apps.

However, the framework's effectiveness depends entirely on advertising platform adoption rates. Historical patterns show major platforms often delay implementing new attribution features, potentially limiting immediate availability for marketers.

Timeline

Key Development Timeline:

• iOS 17.4 (March 2024): Initial AdAttributionKit launch with install conversion support
• iOS 18.0 (September 2024): Re-engagement conversion support added
• iOS 18.4 (February 2025): Multiple overlapping conversion windows introduced
• April 10, 2025: Apple announced that Apple Search Ads will register with AdAttributionKit, beginning with SKAdNetwork versions 1-3 — Apple Search Ads to adopt AdAttributionKit for unified app attribution
• April 14, 2025: Apple has officially rebranded its advertising business from "Apple Search Ads" to "Apple Ads" — Apple rebrands Search Ads business as 'Apple Ads' amid expansion
• June 11, 2025: Comprehensive feature announcement and technical documentation release

Related regulatory context:

• March 30, 2025: The French Competition Authority imposed a €150 million fine on Apple for abusing its dominant position in the mobile application distribution market — Apple fined €150 million: ATT framework ruled anticompetitive

Why This Matters

The AdAttributionKit updates represent a major shift in mobile advertising measurement. For the first time, marketers can accurately track multiple campaigns without attribution confusion, enabling more sophisticated promotional strategies.

The custom attribution rules give unprecedented control over measurement windows. Marketers can align attribution periods with campaign goals - using short windows for direct response ads and longer periods for brand awareness campaigns.

Location data inclusion enables geographic optimization that has been nearly impossible under privacy frameworks. This supports international expansion and regional targeting without compromising user privacy.

As mobile marketing expert Lucas Moscon pointed out, these improvements are significant but depend entirely on ad networks actually implementing them. Marketing teams should push their advertising partners to adopt AdAttributionKit integration to access these enhanced measurement capabilities.

The changes position AdAttributionKit as a comprehensive alternative to traditional tracking methods that rely on device identifiers or cross-app data sharing, marking a new chapter in privacy-focused mobile advertising measurement.