Should we prefer AdMob in Google Play services com

Question

I just realized Google embeds AdMob into latest Google Play services (4+)

I was wondering, should I prefer https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/#play over https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/#android ? As I do not see Google official stand on this.

The reason I ask so, I found AdMob from Google Play services is pretty buggy still.

This is my observation.

1. Create an smart banner from Java code, and place it in a middle of a scroll view.
2. Whenever the smart banner fetches an advertisement from Google server successfully, the scroll view will auto scroll to make the smart banner visible.

This seems to be an undesired behavior from my point of view. That's why, I still hesitate to migrate over new Google Play services.

The full source code to demonstrate the bug can be found here : AdMob from Google Play Services will perform undesired auto scrolling

Answer 1

Yes. Most definitely switch to the Admob classes from the Google Play Services library. This is the new means of distribution for Admob and will ensure that they can update the implementation of it much more readily as they can update the GPS implementation on the phones without requiring your to roll out a new version of your app.

Note that in the GPS library there are 2 versions of the Admob classes. The ones from the current package com.google.ads.* and the ones from the new package com.google.android.gms.ads.*. Use the ones from the new package.

If you are creating your AdRequest programatically then you will need to use a Builder now.

AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();

If you are defining your AdView in layout XML then make sure you update the package there too. Ie <com.google.android.gms.ads.AdView instead of <com.google.ads.AdView.

Answer 2

If you want to integrate many ads SDK and if they are using Google play services as back-end support to deliver ads and you also want to show Admob banner ads then you should use it.

its very easy to use .just add goole play service lib project and then use

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"

              android:id="@+id/linearLayout"
              android:orientation="vertical"
              android:layout_width="match_parent"
              android:layout_height="match_parent">
    <com.google.android.gms.ads.AdView android:id="@+id/adView"
                         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                         ads:adUnitId="a1529793ead3391"
                         ads:adSize="BANNER"/>

</LinearLayout>

now you can simple add following snippet in activity where you want to show

 AdView adView = (AdView)findViewById(R.id.adView);
    AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();
    adView.loadAd(adRequest);

Answer 3

Yes, definitely.
In this post standalone Android Google AdMob SDK (the “old” one) has been announced deprecated. Google warned that on August 1, 2014, the Play Store will stop accepting new or updated apps that use the standalone Google AdMob SDK.