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How to track numbers of iOS app uninstalls?

I've been trying to monitor the numbers of uninstall but couldn't find a reliable way.

  1. I tried to check with APNS status but apple doesn't provide any status in response.
  2. I tried to find any API (to get number of uninstalls) provided by apple but still no luck.
  3. I started tracking for inactive users but it still is not 100% accurate and it only gives me inactive users.
  4. There is no delegate method which fires when the app is being deleted.
  5. No uninstall information in appstore sales and trends as well.

Later I checked AppsFlyer is providing this capability to track numbers of uninstalls.

Can anyone explain how reliable is AppsFlyer uninstall tracking and why ?

like image 477
rummykhan Avatar asked Jan 06 '19 06:01

rummykhan


People also ask

Can you track app uninstalls?

Detection of app uninstalls can be made by sending silent push notifications. Notifications that are not created on the devices of the app users are called silent push notifications. You can keep track of app uninstalls by sending silent push notifications to all devices where your app is installed.

How do I get rid of iOS app tracking?

All you have to do is connect you on your Google Play Console and find on statistics tab, the number of uninstalls. You can also check on the dashboard the number of installs and uninstalls for the last week, month or year.

What percentage of apps are uninstalled?

Globally, the mobile app uninstall rate after 30 days is 28%.


4 Answers

There is no official method from Apple to track app uninstalls — this would have user privacy implications, and Apple has built their reputation around protecting user privacy. Given the history of public outrage around this sort of tracking, it's unlikely Apple will ever allow it.

AppsFlyer (and other companies that claim to provide 'uninstall tracking') use silent push notifications to do it. Essentially, they ping the device regularly and report an 'uninstall' if the push notification is not successfully delivered.

There are a couple of major issues with this approach:

  1. It's unreliable. If the user doesn't allow push notifications, or turns them off at some point after installation, you'll get drowned in false positives.
  2. It's against Apple's rules. The App Store Review Guidelines say this:

4.5.4 Push Notifications must not be required for the app to function, and should not be used for advertising, promotions, or direct marketing purposes or to send sensitive personal or confidential information. Abuse of these services may result in revocation of your privileges.

AppsFlyer actually got in some public hot water for this product last year, and I've heard through the grapevine that Apple intends to crack down on similar services at some point in the near future.

Ultimately, an uninstall is little different from a user who has the app installed but never engages with it. You're probably better off focusing your efforts on building an awesome user experience that improves acquisition and retention, rather than worrying about how to measure a metric that is specifically on Apple's blacklist.

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Alex Bauer Avatar answered Sep 27 '22 20:09

Alex Bauer


Now Apple offer this information:

Deletions

See how many users remove your app from devices running iOS 12.3 or later. Measure App Deletions to better understand how users react to changes in your app, such as content updates, price adjustments, or crashes. Compare App Deletions by sources or groups of users to see which types of users are more likely to uninstall your app.

https://developer.apple.com/app-store-connect/analytics/

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Alaeddine Avatar answered Sep 27 '22 18:09

Alaeddine


The current path in Oct 2021 to check out deletions in App Store Connect is shown as below:

enter image description here

Note,

  1. That is the number of times your app has been deleted on devices running iOS 12.3, tvOS 13.0, or macOS 10.15.1 or later.
  2. Deletions only includes data from users who have agreed to share their diagnostics and usage information with app developers.
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Steven Avatar answered Sep 27 '22 18:09

Steven


  1. Go to https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/
  2. Select your app
  3. Go to Analytics
  4. Go to Source
  5. Select deletion in right side dropdown enter image description here
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Ramesh Vishnoi Avatar answered Sep 27 '22 18:09

Ramesh Vishnoi