What is SKAdNetwork?

SKAdNetwork (SKAN) is Apple’s framework for attributing installs and in-app events on iOS without giving the user’s IDFA to ad networks. After App Tracking Transparency (ATT), SKAN became the main privacy-safe measurement path for mobile user acquisition for Meta, Google, TikTok, MMPs (AppsFlyer, Adjust), and advertisers.

Instead of real-time user-level postbacks, Apple aggregates data and sends delayed conversion postbacks (often 24–72 hours) with campaign ID, ad network ID, and coarse conversion value (0–63 in SKAN 3/4).

Impact on app arbitrage

No direct click ID in the classic CPA sense — optimization at campaign/ad set level.
Delayed data complicates intraday CPI optimization.
Conversion schema setup is required (which in-app events map to value).

SKAN 4 and postback windows

Newer versions add multiple postbacks, hierarchical source IDs, and finer attribution at volume. Ad platforms adopt SKAN 4 UI with lag; media buyers should follow MMP and ad account docs.

Reconciling with a tracker

Web landing arbitrage is unaffected. For app offers the tracker may ingest aggregated MMP data but cannot replace full user-level in-app S2S on iOS.