IDFA is dead, but can Google also kill GAID?

Apple, with the release of the iOS 14, will kill IDFA. What will happen if Google will also remove GAID from the Android?

Apple kills IDFA and GAID with one move.

As we know, Apple has introduced new changes in the upcoming iOS 14, in which IDFA is disabled by default. It is possible to ask the user to opt-in with the tracking permission screen, but it is almost sure that very few users will allow being tracked by third-party companies across the world.

Even if they allow to adjust a message on the permission screen, Apple has already pushed forward the whole privacy movement.

Will Google remove GAID from Android?

We have to remember that Android has 74% of the market share worldwide on mobile devices, and Google is using GAID for their advertising platforms. Apple move with IDFA has already started open discussion if Google should also introduce a similar privacy solution. Within 1-2 years, Google may need to depredicate GAID as well.

Privacy first, at all cost

In recent months, we have observed many changes in the advertising industry. New Your Times cuts 3rd party data suppliers, California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) has introduced “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” consent. Combined with Apple privacy changes in iOS 14, it should be clear that privacy and transparency in advertising will be the most crucial topic for the next upcoming months.

If we look at all those changes and discussions, one thing is exact, and mobile advertising will change entirely, everything we knew will change, and it looks like it might be like a hard reset.

The future of IDFA is clear. It is gone. GAID? I’d say that will be gone soon, just the question when exactly.

How could Google replace IDFA/GAID?

On the one hand, Google could switch to use an App Instance ID on iOS/Android on behalf of the Mobile SDK or AdMob. The problem is that each app on the user phone would have a different App Instance ID, and after reinstalling, this ID would be changed to new. But it does not solve the Cross-Device tracking problem.

However, Google also has a Firebase SDK, one of the most popular mobile SDK on the market. It is used together with Analytics App+Web to track users across the app and web environment.

Firebase allows us to use one SDK and link many services like Google Analytics, Google Ads, Google DV360, Google Ad Manager, AdMob, and many more. The list of functionalities is very long, and [here] you can read more.

I’d not be surprised if Google would come up with an idea of integrating other advertising related SDK’s like AdSense, Mobile Ads SDK, under Firebase, to keep the integrity of the data within one platform. With this move, they could solve cross-device tracking and analytics problems as well.