Apple has agreed to change how apps on its platforms request permission to track users across other apps and websites following scrutiny from European competition regulators.
The changes affect App Tracking Transparency (ATT), which requires third-party apps to obtain user consent for cross-app tracking. Regulators have argued that Apple’s own services have not faced the same restrictions, raising competition concerns.
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Apple Offers Developers An Alternative Consent Screen
Under commitments agreed with European competition authorities, Apple will keep the ATT requirement and the existing point at which users receive the prompt.
Instead, developers distributing apps in the European Union will be able to use an alternative consent screen with different formatting and wording. The screen can also include a link with additional information about why tracking permission is requested.
Apple said the alternative will initially be available in Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Romania because of legal obligations in those markets.
Developers Get More Flexibility Over ATT Prompts
Reports on the settlement said Apple will allow developers to present the consent request as a full-page screen rather than a pop-up. The revised version removes the word “track” and replaces the buttons with “Allow” and “Reject.”
Developers can also add a link explaining how data will be used and why permission is needed. The changes modify how the request is presented without removing the underlying consent requirement.
Tracking Rules Affect App Advertising Revenue
ATT has significant commercial implications for apps that rely on targeted advertising. When users decline tracking, developers have less data available for personalized ads, which can reduce their advertising revenue.
Apple has said ATT is designed to protect user privacy. Critics have argued that Apple’s own services can still use data from its ecosystem for personalized advertising, creating concerns about unequal treatment between Apple and third-party developers.
EU Developers Can Ask For Consent Again
Apple will also allow developers distributing apps in the EU to request consent again one year after a user’s previous ATT decision.
That change gives developers another opportunity to obtain consent over time while leaving the core ATT framework in place. For Apple, the commitments adjust how tracking permission is presented without removing the system’s central privacy requirement.
