iOS 15 turns off personalized ads, no impact on App Store search ads

According to MacRumors, starting with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, Apple introduced a new "Personalized Ads" switch during the setup process, making it easier for users to turn off personalized ads in Apple apps such as the App Store, Apple News, and Stocks.

In a presentation shared with advertisers, Apple cited internal data showing that in the first quarter of 2022, 78% of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 searches on the App Store came from devices with personalized ads turned off in all countries and regions where Apple's search advertising business is available.

Apple's presentation emphasized that advertisers can reach interested users without applying audience targeting to their search results campaigns. In the first quarter of 2022, Apple's internal data showed that the average conversion rate for search ads was 62.1% for iOS 15 users with personalized ads enabled, and 62.5% for iOS 15 users with personalized ads disabled, across all countries and regions where search ads were available.

Apple says search terms are a direct signal of intent, and the presentation claims 70% of App Store visitors use search to find their next app.

Apple’s personalized ads rely entirely on first-party data. For example, in the App Store and Apple News, Apple says a user’s search and download history can be used to serve them relevant search ads. In Apple News and Stocks, ads are served based in part on what users read or follow, including publishers for which they have enabled notifications.

It’s worth noting that this data is not relevant to the App Tracking Transparency privacy feature, which only applies to apps that track users using third-party data.