Categories: Archived Post

Apple News is getting its own user agent analytics in iOS 10

Apple News steps out of the shadows and allowing publishers track their success without having to pay up for an Apple Developer account and agree to iAds, according to Slight Future.

Users of the Apple News service have been indistinguishable from the ones surfing through web views of in-app browsers — until now. The Apple News User-Agent in iOS 9 was also the default for in-app browsers and didn’t contain anything to separate it from other apps. It notably didn’t contain the Safari component, at least setting it apart from the Safari web browser.

However, in iOS 10 Public Beta 1, a new User-Agent was introduced that, for the first time, advertises that the request is coming from the Apple News app. It seems pretty clear that iOS 10 will use a unique User-Agent for the Apple News app. 

User agents are unique to every visitor on the web. They reveal a catalogue of technical data about the device and software that the visitor is using. User agents are also critical in controlling search engine robots.

(Thanks to AWT reader Daniel Aleksandr for the heads-up on this news item. Have a news item yourself? Send it to me at dennis.sellers@appleworld.today. )


Buy a Gazelle Certified iPhone 5S 16GB AT&T for less than $12/month with 18 month financing*

Dennis Sellers

Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.

Recent Posts

Top Apple-related stories this week (May 6-10)

Here are the top Apple-related articles at Apple World Today for the week of May…

1 hour ago

Comparison of Outsourcing Opportunities of Poland and Romania

The fast-paced global economy sees outsourcing as a cornerstone strategy for businesses striving to streamline…

1 hour ago

Today’s deal: Costco 1-Year Gold Star Membership + $40 Digital Costco Shop Card for only $60

Thanks to today’s deal, you can get a Costco 1-Year Gold Star membership and a…

1 hour ago

Apple TV+ cancels ‘Constellation’ after one season

Apple TV+ has opted not to continue with a second season of “Constellation,” its sci-fi…

12 hours ago

Apple reportedly is revamping Siri to Catch Up to Its Chatbot Competitors

Apple plans to announce that it will bring generative A.I. to iPhones after the company’s…

12 hours ago

Apple Vision Pro 2 rumored to start at $1,500 (maybe)

The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) is dubious (though I think it would be great),…

21 hours ago