Apple has changed iPhone Developer Program License Agreement to stop third-party analytics firms from collecting iPhone application user or device data.
This move could give Apple's new iAd program a bigger slice of the Apple Ad pie. iAd sales are at $60 million.
Developers earn 60 percent of all iAd revenues. Brands already committed include Nissan, Citi, Unilever, AT&T, Sears, Target, JC Penney and Best Buy.
The change could block mobile ad servers llike AdMob from sharing ad-analytics data with marketers. Mobile ad firms like Millennial Media and Greystripe may not be affected by the license revision, although the agreement suggests they have to ask Apple's approval to continue collecting app data.
The iOS 4 operating system update says "You and Your Applications may not collect, use, or disclose to any third party, user or device data without prior user consent, and then only under the following conditions:
"The collection, use or disclosure is necessary in order to provide a service or function that is directly relevant to the use of the Application. For example, without Apple's prior written consent, You may not use third party analytics software in Your Application to collect and send device data to a third party for aggregation, processing, or analysis.
"The collection, use or disclosure is for the purpose of serving advertising to Your Application; is provided to an independent advertising service provider whose primary business is serving mobile ads (for example, an advertising service provider owned by or affiliated with a developer or distributor of mobile devices, mobile operating systems or development environments other than Apple would not qualify as independent); and the disclosure is limited to UDID, user location data, and other data specifically designated by Apple as available for advertising purposes."
iAd sales are already at $60 million--developers will earn 60 percent of all iAd revenues, translating to pre-launch earnings of $36 million. Brands including Nissan, Citi, Unilever, AT&T, Sears, Target, JC Penney and Best Buy have so far signed on.