--- title: Apple's news won't be the end of email, but it will bring change description: The recent news of Apple's iOS 15 won't be the end of email marketing. Let's look at what this announcement really means for nonprofit fundraising. image: https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hubfs/210111-RKD-Email-marketing-has-grown-up-in-the-last-decade-Doodle-v2.jpg --- [![](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/210111-RKD-Groupthinkers-Rebranded-Logo-Blog-png.png?width=157&name=210111-RKD-Groupthinkers-Rebranded-Logo-Blog-png.png)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com) - [Solutions](https://rkdgroup.com/services/) - [Mid-Level Giving](https://rkdgroup.com/services/mid-level-giving/) - [Monthly Giving](https://rkdgroup.com/services/monthly-giving/) - [Lapsed Giving](https://rkdgroup.com/services/lapsed-giving/) - [Personalization](https://rkdgroup.com/services/personalization/) - [Connectors](https://rkdgroup.com/services/connectors/) - [Machine Learning](https://rkdgroup.com/services/machine-learning/) - [Marketing + Fundraising](https://rkdgroup.com/services/marketing-fundraising/) - [Audience Development](https://rkdgroup.com/services/audience-development/) - [Creative Services](https://rkdgroup.com/services/creative-services/) - [Data Management](https://rkdgroup.com/services/data-management/) - [Strategic Planning](https://rkdgroup.com/services/strategic-planning/) - [Analytics](https://rkdgroup.com/services/analytics/) - [Causes](https://rkdgroup.com/causes/) - [Animal Care](https://rkdgroup.com/causes/animal-care/) - [Food Banks](https://rkdgroup.com/causes/food-banks/) - [Health + Hospitals](https://rkdgroup.com/causes/health-hospitals/) - [Humanitarian](https://rkdgroup.com/causes/humanitarian/) - [Missions](https://rkdgroup.com/causes/missions/) - [Salvation Army](https://rkdgroup.com/causes/the-salvation-army/) - [Results](https://rkdgroup.com/results/) - [Acquisition](https://rkdgroup.com/results?cat=acquisition) - [Digital](https://rkdgroup.com/results?cat=digital) - [Mid-Major Programs](https://rkdgroup.com/results?cat=mid-major-programs) - [Advanced Analytics](https://rkdgroup.com/results?cat=advanced-analytics) - [Direct Mail](https://rkdgroup.com/results?cat=direct-mail) - [Multichannel Strategy](https://rkdgroup.com/results?cat=multichannel-strategy) - [Data Management](https://rkdgroup.com/results?cat=data-management) - [Media](https://rkdgroup.com/results?cat=media) - [Website Development](https://rkdgroup.com/results?cat=website-development) - [Resources](https://rkdgroup.com/insights/) - [Blog](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/) - [Benchmarks](https://info.rkdgroup.com/benchmarks) - [Webinars](https://info.rkdgroup.com/webinars) - [Ebooks + Research](https://info.rkdgroup.com/ebooks-research) - [Podcast](https://info.rkdgroup.com/group-thinkers-nonprofit-marketing-podcast) - [Field Guides](https://info.rkdgroup.com/field-guides) - [About Us](https://rkdgroup.com/about/) - [Leadership](https://rkdgroup.com/about/leadership/) - [Careers](https://rkdgroup.com/about/careers/) - [Let's Chat](https://rkdgroup.com/lets-chat/) #### Subscribe to our blog ### Subscribe to Email Updates ## Featured Post   [RKD Group](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/author/rkd-group) ## [RKD Group Acquires Whiteboard](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/rkd-group-acquires-whiteboard) Premier Marketing Agency Bolsters Conceptual Creative Capabilities by Acquiring Award-Winning Agency PLANO, Texas, July 27, 2026 — Today, RKD Group, Nor\[...\] [Digital Fundraising](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/digital-fundraising) [Direct Mail Fundraising](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/direct-mail-fundraising) [Multichannel](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/multichannel) [Fundraising](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/fundraising) [Nonprofit Industry](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/nonprofit-industry) [RKD](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/rkd) [Brand](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/brand) [Read More](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/rkd-group-acquires-whiteboard)   [Shane Thornal](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/author/shane-thornal) ## [Why nonprofits must unite SEO, social and paid media in one strategy](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/why-nonprofits-must-unite-seo-social-and-paid-media-in-one-strategy) Someone at your organization “owns” paid media. Someone else—often younger and under resourced—runs the social accounts. A third person (or maybe no one\[...\] [Digital Fundraising](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/digital-fundraising) [SEO](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/seo) [Digital Media](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/digital-media) [Social Media](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/social-media) [Data & Analytics](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/data-analytics) [Read More](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/why-nonprofits-must-unite-seo-social-and-paid-media-in-one-strategy) ## Recent Posts [Digital Fundraising](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/digital-fundraising) [Email](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/email) # Apple's news won't be the end of email, but it will bring change By [Charles Lehosit](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/author/charles-lehosit) ![210111-RKD-Email-marketing-has-grown-up-in-the-last-decade-Doodle-v2](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/210111-RKD-Email-marketing-has-grown-up-in-the-last-decade-Doodle-v2.jpg?width=375&name=210111-RKD-Email-marketing-has-grown-up-in-the-last-decade-Doodle-v2.jpg)We've heard it all before—predictions about [the end of email marketing](https://www.forbes.com/sites/nigeldavies/2019/06/24/its-probably-time-to-stop-announcing-the-death-of-email/?sh=4ead75a57a41). After all, why would any nonprofit organization use this antiquated channel when they can reach people through their website, text or social media? The answer is because it simply works. People still open and read emails. Yet [email marketing](https://rkddigital.com/services/email-marketing/) has been declared dead so many times now that it feels like Kenny from “South Park.” [The latest death knell](https://www.business2community.com/email-marketing/apple-mail-privacy-protection-is-email-marketing-dying-again-02412758) comes with the recent news of Apple’s iOS 15—“Oh my God, they killed email!” Let’s look at what this announcement really means for nonprofits and how it will affect fundraising: ### **Email and iOS 15** On June 7, [Apple previewed](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/06/apple-advances-its-privacy-leadership-with-ios-15-ipados-15-macos-monterey-and-watchos-8/) the features coming in iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey, the operating systems for its products. The big news, of course, is a change in privacy protection that will prevent companies from collecting data through email. [Apple already shocked the advertising world](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/how-apples-ios-14-update-will-impact-facebook-advertising) earlier this year by allowing iPhone users to opt out of all tracking in apps. Companies use this data to personalize ads, but it’s well known that users don’t like this invasion of their privacy. In fact, early data shows that [96% of users have opted out of app tracking](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/05/96-of-us-users-opt-out-of-app-tracking-in-ios-14-5-analytics-find/). Currently, email providers add a tiny 1x1 pixel to emails that tracks info like open rates, IP address, location and more. They use this information to understand what messages are resonating with their audience and to monitor behavior and engagement. Apple’s new Mail Privacy Protection feature will give iPhone, iPad and Mac users the ability to block that tracking by loading the content of the email remotely and assigning it a random IP address. This feature will be available starting this fall. ![apple mail privacy protection](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/apple%20mail%20privacy.jpg?width=358&name=apple%20mail%20privacy.jpg)Image: Apple ### **Open rates aren’t that important** Let’s be honest: If open rates are the most important metric you track in email, then you’re not doing it right. Even with the use of pixels, open rates are flawed. Think about it: When does that pixel load? Sometimes it’s in your email preview window—did you truly “open” that email? How often do you actually open your emails in a separate window (outside of mobile)? What about when you're paging through your emails using the up or down key. How many opens are you generating then? Opens are a measure of engagement for that audience, but it’s a bit subjective. It all depends on what is determined to be the expected human behavior. Developers can differ on the reporting logic for opens. [Take it from the Salesforce Pardot Product Team](https://salesforceben.com/the-drip/weird-open-rates-in-pardot-email-reports-explained/): “We do not encourage using opens for gauging engagement, as they have long been unreliable.” ### **Deliverability and other concerns** Open rates were already a bit of vanity metric. Apple’s changes make them even less useful. The good news is that email marketers will still be able to monitor clicks and track behavior with UTM codes. The bad news is that important metrics like deliverability still rely on pixels. It’s critical for marketers to know that people are actually receiving the emails they send, and it’s unclear how this will work in a pixel-free environment. Also, depending on when the images are preloaded by Apple, this move could break live or real-time images, like countdown timers and dynamic content. This news is still pretty fresh, and the entire marketing industry is still figuring out what these changes will mean in the short and long term. Eventually, we will pivot in such a way to continue effectively monitoring campaign health and programmatic performance. Remember: VHS tapes went away, but we still watch movies. Pagers went away, but we still reach people urgently. Video killed the radio star, but we still listen to music. So don’t mourn the demise of email just yet. Life finds a way. The email industry will find a solution. ### [Charles Lehosit](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/author/charles-lehosit) Charles Lehosit has been described as an entrepreneur, solutions architect, strategist, technologist and futurist. As Senior Vice President, Head of Digital, at RKD Group, he excels at developing solutions that answer clients’ business needs. Charles leads RKD's embedded digital practice area offering end-to-end capabilities, guided by his expertise in multichannel engagement, digital analytics, technology strategy, application development and conversion optimization. Charles brings deep digital experience to RKD’s clients, with more than two decades of experience as a digital transformation leader. He understands what it takes to deliver successful projects, and he has done so for clients like Coca-Cola, U.S. Army and General Motors, in addition to more than 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. #### Leave a comment: Previous ##### [How do you transfer data knowledge?](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/how-do-you-transfer-data-knowledge) Next Post ##### [Matching gift fundraising trends: New insights in 2025](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/matching-gift-fundraising-trends-new-insights-in-2025) ### Search GroupThinkers ![](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/459002/Assets%20Apr/magnifying-glass.png) [![GP FG - Blog Rail 340x340](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GP%20FG%20-%20Blog%20Rail%20%20340x340.png?width=340&name=GP%20FG%20-%20Blog%20Rail%20%20340x340.png "GP FG - Blog Rail 340x340")](https://info.rkdgroup.com/givingpulse-field-guide-q1-2024-access) [![MidYear Benchmarks-Sidebar_SolidGold](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MidYear%20Benchmarks-Sidebar_SolidGold.png?width=340&name=MidYear%20Benchmarks-Sidebar_SolidGold.png "MidYear Benchmarks-Sidebar_SolidGold")](https://info.rkdgroup.com/donor-trust-access) - Latest Posts - Popular Posts [RKD Group Acquires Whiteboard](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/rkd-group-acquires-whiteboard) [ Digital Fundraising](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/digital-fundraising) [ Direct Mail Fundraising](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/direct-mail-fundraising) [ Multichannel](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/multichannel) [ Fundraising](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/fundraising) [ Nonprofit Industry](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/nonprofit-industry) [ RKD](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/rkd) [ Brand](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/brand) [The nonprofit savior complex: How good intentions can erode trust | Gina Lattuca, SPCA Serving Erie County](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/the-nonprofit-savior-complex-how-good-intentions-can-erode-trust-gina-lattuca-spca-serving-erie-county) [ Podcast](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/podcast) [ Animal Care](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/animal-care) [Why nonprofits must unite SEO, social and paid media in one strategy](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/why-nonprofits-must-unite-seo-social-and-paid-media-in-one-strategy) [ Digital Fundraising](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/digital-fundraising) [ SEO](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/seo) [ Digital Media](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/digital-media) [ Social Media](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/social-media) [ Data & Analytics](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/topic/data-analytics) ### Categories - [Digital Fundraising (180)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/digital-fundraising) - [Podcast (135)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/podcast) - [Nonprofit Industry (125)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/nonprofit-industry) - [Data & Analytics (91)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/data-analytics) - [Digital Media (69)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/digital-media) - [Fundraising (55)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/fundraising) - [Trends (47)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/trends) - [COVID-19 (42)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/covid-19) - [Multichannel (41)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/multichannel) - [Food Banks (39)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/food-banks) - [Animal Care (37)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/animal-care) - [Donor Retention (36)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/donor-retention) - [Mid-Major Donors (35)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/mid-major-donors) - [Strategy (35)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/strategy) - [Direct Mail Fundraising (34)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/direct-mail-fundraising) - [Missions (31)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/missions) - [Stewardship (31)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/stewardship) - [Creative (29)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/creative) - [Leadership (24)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/leadership) - [Sustainer Donors (20)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/sustainer-donors) - [Year-End Giving (19)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/year-end-giving) - [Acquisition (18)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/acquisition) - [Social Media (18)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/social-media) - [Cultivation (17)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/cultivation) - [Email (16)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/email) - [Google Grant (15)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/google-grant) - [Optimization (15)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/optimization) - [SEO (15)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/seo) - [Data Privacy (14)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/data-privacy) - [Technology (14)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/technology) - [Giving Tuesday (13)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/giving-tuesday) - [Humanitarian Action (13)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/humanitarian-action) - [Events (12)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/events) - [Donation Pages (11)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/donation-pages) - [Health & Hospitals (11)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/health-hospitals) - [Conversion (10)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/conversion) - [Brand (9)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/brand) - [Donor Lifecycle (9)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/donor-lifecycle) - [Donor-Advised Funds (9)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/donor-advised-funds) - [Management (8)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/management) - [RKD (8)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/rkd) - [Audience-First (6)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/audience-first) - [Facebook (6)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/facebook) - [The Salvation Army (6)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/the-salvation-army) - [GDPR (4)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/gdpr) - [User Experience (4)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/user-experience) - [Conferences (3)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/conferences) - [Election (3)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/election) - [Postal Service (3)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/postal-service) - [Attribution (2)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/attribution) - [Capital Campaigns (2)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/capital-campaigns) - [Gift Catalog (2)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/gift-catalog) - [Ministries (2)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/ministries) - [Mobile (2)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/mobile) - [CRM (1)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/crm) - [Corporate giving (1)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/corporate-giving) - [DRTV (1)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/drtv) - [Planned Giving (1)](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/tag/planned-giving) see all [![Gen X eBook download](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Gen%20X%20eBook%20download.jpg?width=360&name=Gen%20X%20eBook%20download.jpg "Gen X eBook download")](https://info.rkdgroup.com/en/the-nonprofit-marketers-guide-to-generation-x) ### Read More of What You Like ## [RKD Group Acquires Whiteboard](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/rkd-group-acquires-whiteboard) ## [Why nonprofits must unite SEO, social and paid media in one strategy](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/why-nonprofits-must-unite-seo-social-and-paid-media-in-one-strategy) ## [How nonprofits should approach GivingTuesday's TogetherTuesday](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/how-nonprofits-should-approach-givingtuesdays-togethertuesday) ![Rkdgroup](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hubfs/Rkdgroup%20Sep%202017/Images/footer_logo.png "Rkdgroup") - [Solutions](https://rkdgroup.com/services/) - [Work](https://rkdgroup.com/work/) - [About Us](https://rkdgroup.com/about-us/) - [Blog](https://blog.rkdgroup.com/) - [Contact](https://rkdgroup.com/contact/) [Contact](https://rkdgroup.com/contact) - - - RKD Group is a leading fundraising and marketing provider to hundreds of nonprofit organizations. We have a team of experts with deep skill sets in direct response marketing. [connect@rkdgroup.com](mailto:connect@rkdgroup.com) [1 800 222 6070](tel:1-800-222-6070) [Privacy policy](https://rkdgroup.com/privacy-policy) - - - ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Charles Lehosit", "url" : "https://blog.rkdgroup.com/author/charles-lehosit" }, "dateModified" : "2021-12-29T22:16:02.450Z", "datePublished" : "2021-06-17T14:44:22.000Z", "headline" : "Apple's news won't be the end of email, but it will bring change", "image" : [ "https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hubfs/210111-RKD-Email-marketing-has-grown-up-in-the-last-decade-Doodle-v2.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.rkdgroup.com/apples-news-wont-be-the-end-of-email-but-it-will-bring-change", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.rkdgroup.com/hubfs/RKD-logo-red-tm%20(1).png" }, "name" : "RKD Group" } } ```