UA Digest #12 : What’s new this month?

Discover our User Acquisition Digest, your monthly update on the latest trends and news in performance marketing!

AppsFlyer: what 2025 data already signals for 2026

AppsFlyer has released its Top 5 Data Trends of 2025 report, shedding light on the data dynamics shaping performance strategies in 2026.

1. Mobile budgets keep growing, but value takes priority

• In 2025, global UA spend reached $78 billion, with growth largely driven by iOS. Non-gaming apps showed strong momentum, particularly in shopping.
• Remarketing exceeded $31 billion, accounting for 29 percent of total mobile investment, with a +31 percent YoY increase, again largely fueled by iOS.

Looking ahead to 2026, AppsFlyer expects budgets to become more selective, increasingly concentrated on segments that can demonstrate clear business impact. With acquisition costs remaining high, remarketing is positioned as a core pillar of performance strategies.

2. AI moves toward a more strategic role

Today, 57% of marketers use AI for technical tasks, but only 32% leverage it for active campaign optimization.

In 2026, adoption is expected to become more assertive, with AI agents capable of prioritizing and optimizing investments with limited human intervention.

3. Cross-platform becomes the standard

In gaming, mobile increasingly acts as an entry point to PC experiences. In non-gaming, mobile and CTV complement each other, while mobile remains central.

The implication is clear: in 2026, measurement must account for increasingly complex cross-device journeys. A mobile-first but multi-touchpoint strategy becomes essential to capture total value.

Key takeaway: performance marketing in 2026 will rely more on value, AI, and orchestration across channels than on volume alone. All insights are available in the full report.

Australia: testing the limits of the under-16 social media ban

Australia is the first Western country to enforce a strict ban on social media for users under 16. Since December 10, 2025, platforms must block underage accounts or face fines of up to AUD 49.5 million.

After one month of enforcement:

• 4.7 million underage accounts removed or restricted
• 550,000 accounts removed by Meta (Instagram, Facebook, Threads)
• Platforms affected include TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, and Reddit

While implementation has been considered relatively fast, challenges remain around the reliability of age verification systems and the risk of migration to less regulated platforms.

A closely watched initiative worldwide

Australia’s approach is now under close scrutiny internationally, particularly in Europe, where several governments are considering similar measures to better regulate minors’ access to social platforms.

This first large-scale implementation could serve as a reference point for future regulatory initiatives.

What marketers should watch

For advertisers, these changes could lead to:

• Shifts in available inventory on certain social platforms
• Traffic redistribution across platforms and formats
• Potential cost pressure if specific audiences become scarcer

All insights here.

Meta acquires Manus and accelerates its agentic AI strategy

Meta officially announced the acquisition of Manus, a startup specializing in autonomous AI agents. Unlike traditional generative AI, Manus is designed to execute tasks end to end with minimal human input.

Manus: an execution-first AI agent

Manus is capable of:

• Analyzing a business objective
• Defining an action plan
• Executing tasks such as analysis, coding, data processing, and iterations
• Learning from outcomes and continuously optimizing

Une acquisition alignée avec la trajectoire IA de Meta

Meta plans to keep Manus as an independent service while integrating its technology into Meta AI and, eventually, its advertising products. The acquisition aligns with Meta’s broader 2025 investments in automation and AI, including Advantage+ and Andromeda.

What this changes for campaign management

Agentic AI extends the automation already deployed by Meta by pushing campaign orchestration further.

In practice, this could mean:

• Faster and continuous performance analysis
• More frequent adjustments to budgets, creatives, and campaign structures
• Automated prioritization of tests to launch, pause, or scale

In the short term, the goal is not to replace human management, but to gradually reduce operational workload in favor of more strategic oversight.

All insights here.

DMA and alternative app stores: iOS openness meets economic realities

Apple recently announced it has paid out over $550 billion to developers since the App Store’s launch, with more than 850 million weekly users in 2025, reaffirming the App Store’s central role in the mobile ecosystem.

At the same time, Setapp Mobile, one of the first alternative app stores launched in the EU following the Digital Markets Act, will shut down on February 16, 2026. Developed by MacPaw, the platform relied on a subscription-based model and aimed to offer an alternative to Apple’s iOS distribution framework.

According to MacPaw, the decision stems from commercial conditions that remain complex and subject to change within iOS’s new openness. Industry players also point to more restrictive installation flows, limited user adoption, and specific costs such as the Core Technology Fee, which challenge the viability of third-party marketplaces.

Taken together, these elements highlight a clear contrast: while the DMA requires Apple to allow alternative app stores, the technical and economic framework governing their operation remains largely defined by Apple, making large-scale adoption difficult.

More details here.