It's taken the big mobile ad networks some time to officially set out their response to the rumours Apple is rejecting apps for what appears to be specific uses of device-specific UDIDs.

Partly this reticence is due to the lack of official comment from Apple on the subject, but partly it's because most have replacement plans in place.

For that point of view, not being rushed into making pronouncements demonstrates their confidence, despite a potentially serious disruption in the multi-billion mobile advertising market.

"We're not expecting any revenue drop," explains Krishna Subramanian, CMO of Velti, the mobile ad solutions company that includes mobclix.

"We think our new solution will be seamless for developers and won't result in a loss of quality."

Consensus approach

As for that solution, it's the Open Device Identification Number 1 (ODIN1) standard; something Velti has been testing since December 2011 and is now live in its SDK.

A cross platform device identifier, which handles iOS, Android and Windows Phone, it's the first outcome from an industry-wise group of companies, also including Inmobi, Smaato, Adfonic, mdotm, Jumptap and StrikeAd.

Given that it relies on a MAC address for iOS devices (albeit hashed to ensure user privacy), it's not expected to be a longterm solution. But that's not the point, argues Subramanian.

"It's good enough to ensure a nimble transition. We're not focused on one technology. We're showing that the industry isn't running in different directions. This is a unified approach," he says.

"On one level, it's easy to come up with a new solution. What you really need to demonstrate is companies are working together."

United we stand

Indeed, there is already a proposal in place for ODIN2.

This is currently at the preliminary stage in case that a mobile platform completely revokes access to all unique device identifiers, and would be generated from an app specific identifier combined with a transient device identifier.

For Subramanian, however, there are more pressing concerns.

"We need to educate mobile consumers that targeted advertising is of benefit to them," he says. "It helps us turn ads into useful content for them."

This will include letting people know how to opt out of such campaigns.

"There will always be a single digit percentage of people who want to opt out, but online, that's less than six percent," he states.

With such a system in place, the only thing that would then impact the industry is its own competitiveness.

"The worst thing would be if each of the 35 ad networks tries an individual solution," Subramanian points out.

"We assume there will be six or seven alternatives in the short term, but that's got to be one or two in the next six months."

You can find out more details about ODIN here.