App Set ID

ASID is the “App Set ID,” a privacy-conscious identifier introduced by Google for Android devices.

Unlike Google’s long-time GAID, or Google Advertising ID, which is designed for cross-app advertising tracking, ASID is scoped to a set of apps published under the same Google Play developer account. In other words, all apps from the same developer share the same ASID on a user’s device, facilitating intra-developer analytics while preventing cross-developer tracking.

In this way the App Set ID is very similar to Apple’s IDFV, or Identifier for Vendors, which performs a similar function on the iOS platform.

ASID is useful for scenarios where understanding user behavior across multiple apps from the same developer is beneficial, such as analytics, fraud prevention, and user engagement analysis. But ASID is not intended for advertising personalization, upholding Google’s commitment to user privacy.

ASID is a tool for developers to analyze user interactions across their suite of apps. For example, if a developer has multiple apps installed on a user’s device, App Set ID allows the developer to correlate usage patterns and detect potential fraudulent activities without infringing on user privacy.

The ASID is generated and managed by Google Play services and is accessible through the App Set ID API. Developers can retrieve the ASID asynchronously using the provided SDK, which returns the ID along with its scope.

Note: ASID can be reset under certain conditions, such as …

• If the user uninstalls all apps from the developer

• If the ASID hasn’t been accessed for over 13 months

• If the device undergoes a factory reset

These reset conditions ensure that App Set ID remains a non-permanent identifier, ensuring user privacy.

Google’s Integrated Conversion Measurement (ICM) is a protocol designed to provide advertisers with more accurate and real-time attribution data while upholding user privacy. ICM achieves this by incorporating on-device conversion measurement and event-level data, reducing reliance on user-level identifiers.

In short, it’s probabilistic and privacy-safe, aligning Google with similar technologies from the other major advertising platforms.

In this context, App Set ID plays a crucial role.

Since ASID allows developers to understand user behavior across their own apps without enabling cross-app tracking, it aligns perfectly with ICM’s privacy-centric approach. Plus, by using ASID, developers can gain insights into user interactions and conversions within their app ecosystem, feeding valuable data into ICM without compromising user privacy.

For example, when a user interacts with multiple apps from the same developer, App Set ID enables the developer to attribute conversions accurately within their app suite. This intra-developer attribution is essential for optimizing app campaigns and understanding user journeys, all while adhering to stringent privacy standards set by ICM.

ASID serves as a foundational element in Google’s ICM framework, facilitating privacy-preserving analytics and conversion measurement for developers.

Singular supports the App Set ID, ensuring that app publishers can analyze their installs and cross-app promotion efforts. Singular also supports Google in ensuring that ASID can be used as part of Integrated Conversion Measurement, enabling more accurate app install attribution in privacy-safe environments including iOS.