A pretty big issue with Interstitials. The Close (X) button doesn't work!

[joe2885]

Hello all,

Just discovered this group! Glad to be a part of it.

I'm having a pretty big issue with Interstitials on my test device (iPhone 5s). Using Mobile Ads SDK  7.10.1, and Xcode (swift 2).

The Interstitials load up properly, however, the X button isn't responsive in closing out the ad. When I tap the X button in the top right, sometimes the ad closes first try. Other times I tap it, the ad does a very quick "flicker" and does not close. Sometimes it takes upwards of 7 taps to close. I even used a stylus pen to precisely tap into the center of the (X) - but the issue still remained. In the Xcode simulater, I can't reproduce this error. The mouse cursor closes the interstitial every time. It's only an issue on my actual phone.

If you'd like me to post my interstitial code, I can do so. However, I've googled this issue and it seems to be pretty recurring. So I'm not sure if there's a catch-all that will help me resolve it.





Thanks a lot in advance!

Joe

[joe2885]

Further developments:

I have downloaded the Google Interstitial example from Git: https://github.com/googleads/googleads-mobile-ios-examples/tree/master/Swift/admob/InterstitialExample
Since this didn't have Google AdMob SDK in the repo - I added 7.10.1 to it.

Ran it on my device through Xcode, and the issue still persists. The (X) button is not responsive. Sometimes it closes first try, sometimes it takes several taps. 

I wanted to rule out an issue with my code implementation on my own app, which I have done. Now it appears as if it's an issue with the SDK itself or my phone??


Please advise, and thank you in advance!

[Veer Arjun Busani(Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hi Joe,

This sounds like a creative specific issue. The ideal way forward would be to catch the serving network and block it in your AdMob dashboard. My guess is that this is with one video Interstitial. Find the url and block it.

Thanks,

Arjun Busani
Mobile Ads SDK Team

[joe2885]

Howdy Veer,

Thanks for the reply.
I'm actually using test ads here: request.testDevices = [kGADSimulatorID, myiPhone]

Would your solution still be applicable?

Thanks
Joe

[Veer Arjun Busani(Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hi Joe,

If you are using test ads, then this should never have happened. Was it a live ad or a test ad that you had an issue with? Can you send us your Charles logs for us to test as well?

Thanks,

Arjun Busani
Mobile Ads SDK Team

[joe2885]

I've been using Test Ads the whole time. I don't know if I will be able to reproduce this error if the ads are live.

Regarding Charlie logs, i am not sure what those are.. can you clarify?

I think if I record a video of what's happening, it may help diagnose the issue. Let me go charge up my GoPro and i'll be back with a video.

Joe

[joe2885]

Here is a video that I just recorded. The App in this video is the test interstitial app provided by google  (as referenced in my second post):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVDMfiV6M3s

The first interstitial took 30 attempts to close! The second interstitial took 4 attempts to close.

Additionally, I was using an App that also ran interstitials, and the same issue persisted. I can now confirm this issue working in 3 unique applications on my device. Phone was restarted, but that didn't mitigate any issues.

I did a few more google searches to find that other people are having what I think to be the same issue:
- https://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/41551-impossible-to-close-admob-interstitial-ad/
- http://forums.xamarin.com/discussion/27847/cant-close-admob-interstitial

[Veer Arjun Busani(Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hi Joe,

Thank you for the video. The only caveat is that the test Interstitial does not look it is served from us! Now I want you to confirm again by using our sample apps only and test again. Also, a Charles log is generated by proxying your device to this tool and recording a session. That would be really helpful for us. 

Also, I have attached a screenshot of how our test Interstitial looks like now. The close button especially seems to be misplaced and off the wrong type.

[joe2885]

Hello Veer,

That's really odd that my X button is rendering in the incorrect spot.

I've downloaded the sample apps repo as you instructed. Inside Xcode I opened Swift > Admob > InterstitialExample.
I try to run it, but get the error of "No such module 'GoogleMobileAds' - I dragged the Mobile Ads SDK 7.10.1 into the project folder, and installed FireBase using CocoaPods to the project. I then opened InterstitialExample.xcworkspace as directed by the installation of cocoapods within terminal. I added my device ID to the testDevices array. run it on my phone, and the interstitial X button is still in the top right, and still produces the random X button not closing issue. (SIDE NOTE: Is FireBase 100% necessary to run Interstitials?)

However on the Xcode simulator, the X button is in fact in the top left! Right at the exact spot in your screenshot you posted.

I am beginning to believe that it is my specific iPhone that's causing this bug... It works just fine on simulator, but not fine on my device. As for what in particular... I have absolutely NO idea.

Joe

[joe2885]

Veer,

I believe I have just inadvertently resolved this bug...

After I wrote my previous reply above, I dug around in some iPhone settings, since I was pretty convinced it was a device-related issue. I went to Privacy > Advertising, then tapped "Reset Advertising Identifier" then switched "Limit Ad Tracking" to On. I re-ran my own application to my device within Xcode. Xcode gave me this: <Google> Advertising tracking may be disabled. To get test ads on this device, enable advertising tracking.

Adhering to what Google told me to do, I went back to Privacy > Advertising (on my phone) and then switched off Limit Ad Tracking.

Re-ran my App again within Xcode. This time, the Xcode console gave me a new string to use for testing on my device... It was different than the one previously in my code.. (why is this??)
I updated the string, ran my application on my device, proper Test Ad is shown and now the X button is in-fact in the top left, and it closes every time!
I also tested the Admob Interstitial Example from the Google repo you posted, and it's working fine in there also.

The issue was resolved somewhere in the above process. Perhaps when I reset my Advertising Identifier? Or perhaps when i toggled the Limit Ad Tracking switches?

If you can provide any further clarification on this, that would be appreciated. I am glad it is resolved now, but would like more information as to why this issue was happening, so it can be avoided in the future. I am also really curious as to why Xcode gave me a new string to use as my phones test device.

Thanks
Joe

[Veer Arjun Busani(Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hi Joe,

Certainly I would help you with this. Apple has a requirement about targeting ads to when using IDFA, which is a unique Ad based identifier for every iOS device. Now this IDFA is unique but you can always reset it if you want to. Using this IDFA, ad networks, such as our AdMob, can target ads specific to the device. We are completely complaint about the requirements specified by Apple. So for us to serve test ads, the SDK needs the Limit Ad Tracking to be turned on. 

Now this switch is completely at your discretion. We do not mandate that you do enable this but for the sake of test ads, you need this. It is device specific and whether you enable it or not does not effect how other users of your app would be served ads. 

Thanks,

Arjun Busani
Mobile Ads SDK Team

[joe2885]

Veer,

Thanks for the information! From a technical standpoint, does it make sense that the steps I took resolved the main problem? (the X button not working and in the top right.)

Also, just a couple of basic questions:
- I would like some friends to test my App via TestFlight. Will they need to provide me their IDFA so they can receive test ads? I don't want their testing to generate false impressions.
- Is it okay if I leave my device ID (and my friends', should the above question have 'yes' as an answer :) ) within my App when I submit it to Apple?

  -- If I leave it in, will I still receive test ads even while the App is live on the App Store?
  -- If I keep it out, I will obviously be receiving live ads. What is the best policy here on preventing false impressions? (for instance, when I myself use my own app)


Thank you !
Joe

[Veer Arjun Busani(Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Hi Joe,

- I would like some friends to test my App via TestFlight. Will they need to provide me their IDFA so they can receive test ads? I don't want their testing to generate false impressions.

 

If this is for testing, then yes. You would need IDFA for each of those devices that you want to test with and add them as a test device.

- Is it okay if I leave my device ID (and my friends', should the above question have 'yes' as an answer :) ) within my App when I submit it to Apple?

 

We require that you enable test mode till your app is under development. Once it goes to prod, you are free to remove any test devices that you would like.

  -- If I leave it in, will I still receive test ads even while the App is live on the App Store?

 

This is again correct. Test ads would continue to be served to those devices that were added during the AdRequest.

  -- If I keep it out, I will obviously be receiving live ads. What is the best policy here on preventing false impressions? (for instance, when I myself use my own app)

 

For this purpose, you can always enable test ads to be served for your device. Also, I would suggest that you go through this article to learn more on how you can prevent invalid activity for your app.

Thanks,

Arjun Busani
Mobile Ads SDK Team