The API has more mobile devices than the UI

[kondiment test]

Hi!

I have noticed that getting the mobile devices available for targeting in the API, with https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/reference/v201607/ConstantDataService#getMobileDeviceCriterion, returns much more devices than there are displayed in the UI. For example, in the API there are 642 Samsung devices, whereas in the UI there are only 337.

Where is this difference coming from? Are all the mobile devices from the API usable?

Thank you.

[Vishal Vinayak (Adwords API Team)]

Hi,

Could you please elaborate on the steps taken by you to extract the list of Samsung devices available on the AdWords web interface vs the API? I'm asking that because sometimes one might create a different filter on the UI vs the API report which might cause the difference. 

Regards,

Vishal, AdWords API Team   

[kondiment test]

Sure, Vishal.

In the web interface, I clicked to create a display-only campaign, checked "No marketing objective", scrolled down and under "Advanced settings" I toggled-open the "Device: target selected mobile devices and tablets" option. Then --> Edit --> Device models --> Let me choose... --> Android --> Samsung, and here, there are only 337 devices.

Through the API, using the ConstantDataService, I ran the method getMobileDeviceCriterion() and got all the devices. And after I extracted the manufacturer and the device model for each, and sorted them, I could easily count all the Samsung devices, and they are 642.

Thank you.

[Vishal Vinayak (Adwords API Team)]

Hi,

Just confirmed with my team and you are right, indeed. AdWords API does have a more up-to-date list of devices compared to the AdWords web interface. To your original question, the list available via the API is completely valid and you should have no problem in targeting the users of a certain set of mobile devices, based on your selection. 

[kondiment test]

Thank you, Vishal!

One more question, please: is there any way I could get the association "manufacturer + model number" --> "phone name". For example, to know that Samsung SM-G900F is a Samsung Galaxy S5 phone. I'm looking for a solution through the API or any other means.

Thank you.

[Vishal Vinayak (Adwords API Team)]

Hi,

Unfortunately, that's not possible via AdWords API. A list of the fields available in MobileDevice through ConstantDataService and a subsequest example is as follows:

deviceName: sm-g360p

manufacturerName: Samsung
deviceType: DEVICE_TYPE_MOBILE
operatingSystemName: Android

[kondiment test]

Ok. Thank you!