Apple Search Ads Joins SKAN, AdAttributionKit on April 10

This is a significant change for the entire mobile advertising industry. Nearly six years after the launch of SKAdNetwork, Apple has announced that starting April 10, 2025, Apple Search Ads (ASA) will begin supporting this privacy-focused attribution system. Apple is aligning its own ad network with the same SKAdNetwork and AdAttributionKit standards it has long required third-party networks to follow. This move not only reinforces Apple’s commitment to user privacy but also levels the playing field, ensuring more consistent attribution rules across the iOS advertising ecosystem.

Until now – two separate worlds

Apple Search Ads, as Apple’s own advertising service, has relied solely on the AdServices API (formerly known as Apple Ads Attribution API), which provided deterministic and precise attribution—regardless of ATT consent or the availability of the IDFA. Meanwhile, all other ad networks have been required to measure campaign effectiveness using SKAdNetwork.

This shift in Apple’s approach means that Apple is finally playing by the same rules it previously imposed on others. For advertisers, this is a major breakthrough—finally enabling them to compare the performance of ASA with other channels within a unified attribution model.

Source: Apple.com

What exactly is changing?

• Apple Search Ads will be registered in SKAN / AAK – initially supporting SKAN versions 1, 2, and 3.
  
• Only click-through attribution (click → install) will be available.
  
• The AdServices API will not be deprecated – it will continue to operate alongside SKAN, providing additional data granularity (e.g., campaign and keyword-level reporting).
  
• The four ASA placements will be mapped to specific campaign IDs in SKAN:
  
  • Search results – ID: 10
    
  • Search tab – ID: 20
    
  • Today tab – ID: 30
    
  • Product page – ID: 40

Is this the result of regulatory pressure?

This change isn’t happening in a vacuum. In recent months, Apple was fined over €150 million by the French competition authority and has come under scrutiny from Germany’s Federal Cartel Office. In both cases, regulators raised concerns that App Tracking Transparency (ATT) gives Apple an unfair advantage over third-party developers and ad networks. It’s likely that these pressures accelerated Apple’s decision to integrate ASA into SKAdNetwork / AdAttributionKit.

What about the future?

Although only SKAN versions 1–3 will be supported initially, Apple has announced plans to add support for newer versions (SKAN 4 / full AAK) in later stages. Currently, SKAdNetwork accounts for 77% of all referral-based conversions to the App Store, making it a cornerstone of attribution on iOS moving forward.