Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#1

Post by astrodust » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 8:37 PM UTC

Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service
techcrunch.com

Re: Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#2

Post by Wonnk13 » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 9:14 PM UTC

I'll be very curious to see how this stacks up against Google Analytics (if that's its competition). Can't wait to read more about it.

Re: Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#3

Post by awolf » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 9:26 PM UTC

This will vastly outstrip competing analytics services because Apple exclusively has visibility to App Store browsing patterns.

Re: Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#4

Post by suresk » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 9:27 PM UTC

I was always kind of annoyed that they didn't have any of this, and the only way you could kind of get some small part of it was by signing up for their affiliate program, so I'm a little excited for this.

I know there are a lot of other app analytics services, but this seems to include data around how potential users interact with your app in the store which is data that only Apple has.

Re: Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#5

Post by ggamecrazy » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 9:31 PM UTC

I just got access.

You can only see non-app store statistics like session information and retention if the users opt into developer statistics. They don't break down how many opted in vs opted out. However you can finally see app store page views vs. downloads. Also you can create campaign specific links which this will track the performance of.

If you're involuntarily collecting information then Mixpanel or GA are not going anywhere.

Re: Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#6

Post by nacs » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 9:37 PM UTC

ggamecrazy wrote: post #5

I just got access. You can only see non-app store statistics like session information and retention if the users opt into developer statistics. They don't break down how many opted in vs opted out. However you can finally see app store page views vs. downloads. Also you can create campaign specific links which this will track the performance of. If you're involuntarily collecting information then Mixpanel or GA are n…

> If you're involuntarily collecting information then Mixpanel or GA are not going anywhere.

Also, this is iOS only from what I've seen and many apps/games will want to collect visitor data/metrics for multiple platforms (Android, web, desktop) in 1 place.

Re: Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#7

Post by papercruncher » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 9:37 PM UTC

Hopefully we'll finally be able to accurately track download attribution on mobile web. Currently, if you need to track the performance of promotions/ad campaigns for free apps on mobile web, you need to use costly 3rd party services which use "fingerprinting" techniques of dubious accuracy

Re: Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#8

Post by bvrlt » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 9:41 PM UTC

Wonnk13 wrote: post #2

I'll be very curious to see how this stacks up against Google Analytics (if that's its competition). Can't wait to read more about it.

One thing GA will never be able to do is analyze the page views on the App Store and the source of these page views. I think that will be the great strength of this tool. Download spikes after a press article/review won't remain unexplained anymore.

Re: Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#9

Post by Wonnk13 » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 9:51 PM UTC

bvrlt wrote: post #8

Wonnk13 wrote: post #2

I'll be very curious to see how this stacks up against Google Analytics (if that's its competition). Can't wait to read more about it.

One thing GA will never be able to do is analyze the page views on the App Store and the source of these page views. I think that will be the great strength of this tool. Download spikes after a press article/review won't remain unexplained anymore.

So does Google have a similar policy where only GA can get information about users in the Play store, or is that not tracked at all?

Re: Apple Invites Developers to Test Its New “App Analytics” Service

#10

Post by dudus » Thu, Apr 30, 2015, 10:00 PM UTC

papercruncher wrote: post #7

Hopefully we'll finally be able to accurately track download attribution on mobile web. Currently, if you need to track the performance of promotions/ad campaigns for free apps on mobile web, you need to use costly 3rd party services which use "fingerprinting" techniques of dubious accuracy

I know you said on "mobile web" but I just wanted to point out that Google Analytics can track install campaigns on both Android and iOS without dubious fingerprinting techniques, they just use IDFA/AdvertisingId to do so and is free to use.

The only drawback is that in iOS you can only track campaigns done through mobile in-app ads. No attribution for email campaigns, or mobile web campaigns.