Update: User-Agent Client Hints Progress 2023 Q4
Since 2022, ScientiaMobile has shipped device detection solutions that are ready the major change in user-agent client hints. Google continues to push forward with its plans to replace the user-agent string with user-agent client hints. This technology change has a big impact on device detection.
As of 2023 Q4, ScientiaMobile’s survey of web traffic indicates that 61.55% of Chrome/Chromium browser’s mobile user agent strings are frozen. We started to see significant traffi in 2023 Q2. In 2023 Q4, more than half of the Chrome/Chromium user agents were frozen.
If you have not updated your servers to support user-agent client hints for Chrome/Chromium, then you definitely need to make these changes. You will find info about how to do that in this blog.
What Changes Do I Need to Make for User-Agent Client Hints
First of all, if you use ScientiaMobile’s various forms of WURFL device detection, you are in a good position. Since early 2022, WURFL API has incorporated user-agent client hints into its device detection.
However, users still need to “turn on” user-agent client hints on their servers. Configure your application and HTTP servers to request additional Client Hints headers. You can learn more about how to do this here.
If you have an open source UA Parser, you should seriously consider switching to a more accurate solution like WURFL immediately. These poorly maintained UA Parsers are inaccurate more than 22% of the time, and in February that accuracy will decline dramatically. Learn more here.
1) have installed the most updated API version and most recent device data XML snapshot file from my.scientiamobile.com
2) Opt in to request user-agent (UA) client hints by following these instructions
Since WURFL already uses UA client hints and can identify frozen user-agent strings, WURFL is ready for Google’s transition. WURFL device detection provides the highest level of accuracy and support in the industry.
A critical part of Google’s roll out involves freezing the user agent string.
Update: Frozen Mobile User Agent Strings as of 2023 Q4
Google has staggered the rollout of the freeze of mobile user-agent strings. As of today, August of 2023, Google has rolled out version M110 and above with 100% of user-agents frozen. Almost no Mobile UA strings were frozen during 2023 Q1. Only 0.38% of observed mobile user-agent strings were frozen. But by 2023 Q4, ScientiaMobile measured 61.55% of mobile user agents were frozen and that number continues to grow.
Google has forced a huge amount of change on the digital advertising industry recently. While most Advertisers and Adtech platforms are very aware of changes like the phase out of third-party cookies, the change to user-agent strings may come as more of a surprise. With their control over Google Chrome, the world’s most popular browser, and their pre-eminent control over Adwords and other forms of digital advertising, Google has the power to change some of the fundamental building blocks of the internet. ScientiaMobile can help Adtech platforms quickly adapt to user-agent client hints.
In a cookie-less world, device detection remains an even more valuable tool for advertisers looking to segment and target an audience. In addition to technical details, advertisers can use device capabilities like the release date and manufacturers suggested retail price to identify early adopters and more affluent users.
In previous blogs, we have outlined these changes and what you need to do to prepare and ensure device detection remains accurate.
What if My Home-Grown Detection System is Not Accurate?
If you are in advertising or use device detection in any way, you need to make adjustments to keep your device detection accurate. Hopefully, you already use WURFL device detection, because WURFL has already made changes to integrate User-Agent Client Hints, recognize frozen user-agent strings, and reconcile these two sources to ensure accuracy.
If you have a home-grown system that is suffering from poor accuracy, that is not a surprise. Most user-agent parsers (both home-grown and open source) are inaccurate 22% of the time. Read more about why that accuracy is getting worse. Keeping track of new devices is difficult enough for companies for whom it is not their core mission. JavaScript hacks that do simple UA sniffing are not going to work well going forward.
ScientiaMobile will perform a free User-Agent Client Hints Health Check for you. Our experienced customer success team can look at your current device detection processes and provide recommendations for best practices. Many customers have found this process very helpful for maintaining and improving their device detection processes.
Learn more about User-Agent Client Hints
Below is ScientiaMobile’s webinar about User-Agent Client Hints.
We go into detail about:
1:25 What is WURFL (Wireless Universal Resource FiLe)?
2:10 What is Google changing in User-Agent Strings and User-Agent Client Hints?
3:10 WURFL device detection automatically accepts UA Client Hints
3:30 UA Client Hints Timeline and Google
7:15 What to UA Client Hints Do?
10:00 Myths about UA Client Hints
16:20 What Should People do to Implement UA Client Hints?
22:00 How WURFL works with UA Client Hints:
