ServiceConnection leak error on back button press

[Rauno Rüga]

Hello,

I want to show Interstitial Ad in my app when it launches. I followed AdMob Android guides how to set up manifest.xml and display InterstitialAd. I have also done it perfectly before with my other apps. Now everything worked well, ad was displayed as I wanted it and I was able to navigate inside my app. When I pressed my Android device back button on app main page, app closed as expected on real device, but exception was throw and shown in logcat. I got following exception:

11-26 22:28:24.020  20223-20223/xx.xxxx.xxxxx E/ActivityThread? Activity xx.xxxx.xxxxx.MainActivity has leaked ServiceConnection com.google.android.gms.common.b@42aef5b0 that was originally bound here
    android.app.ServiceConnectionLeaked: Activity xx.xxxx.xxxxx.MainActivity has leaked ServiceConnection com.google.android.gms.common.b@42aef5b0 that was originally bound here
            at android.app.LoadedApk$ServiceDispatcher.<init>(LoadedApk.java:988)
            at android.app.LoadedApk.getServiceDispatcher(LoadedApk.java:882)
            at android.app.ContextImpl.bindServiceCommon(ContextImpl.java:1912)
            at android.app.ContextImpl.bindService(ContextImpl.java:1895)
            at android.content.ContextWrapper.bindService(ContextWrapper.java:529)
            at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.b(SourceFile:330)
            at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.a(SourceFile:187)
            at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.a(SourceFile:173)
            at com.google.android.a.u.a(SourceFile:79)
            at com.google.android.a.u.doInBackground(SourceFile:75)
            at android.os.AsyncTask$2.call(AsyncTask.java:288)
            at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:237)
            at android.os.AsyncTask$SerialExecutor$1.run(AsyncTask.java:231)
            at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1112)
            at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:587)
            at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:841)
11-26 22:28:40.926  20223-20270/xx.xxxx.xxxxx I/AdvertisingIdClient? AdvertisingIdClient unbindService failed.
    java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Service not registered: com.google.android.gms.common.b@42aef5b0
            at android.app.LoadedApk.forgetServiceDispatcher(LoadedApk.java:940)
            at android.app.ContextImpl.unbindService(ContextImpl.java:1946)
            at android.content.ContextWrapper.unbindService(ContextWrapper.java:541)
            at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.c(SourceFile:275)
            at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.b.c(SourceFile:100)
            at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.b.run(SourceFile:110)

I was testing it on real device (Samsung S4, Android 4.4.2) and Google play dependency is as follows:
compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:6.+'

It must be related to ad, since when I uncomment it, all works fine. On code side, I followed https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/admob/android/interstitial
So main logic that calls interstitial looks like:
        interstitial = new InterstitialAd(getActivity());
        interstitial.setAdUnitId(MY_AD_UNIT_ID);

        // Create ad request.
        AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();

        // Begin loading your interstitial.
        interstitial.loadAd(adRequest);

        interstitial.setAdListener(new AdListener() {
            @Override
            public void onAdLoaded() {
                displayInterstitial();
            }
            @Override
            public void onAdFailedToLoad(int errorCode) {
            }
        });

Any ideas what may have caused such ServiceConnection leak error when closing app by back button press ? I onyl see that error on logcat, in real device there is no drawbacks due to this, but I don't think that just ignoring it will be right solution.

[Andrew Brogdon (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Thanks for providing so much detail with your post.  I'm going to pass your information onto our engineers and see if we can narrow down the cause of the service leak.  

I should warn you that tomorrow starts a holiday weekend here in the States, so you will probably not hear back from me until early next week.  I'll get back to you as soon as I know more, though.

One last question: Does the phone on which you're testing have the latest version of Google Play Services?

-Andrew

[Rauno Rüga]

Thank you for quick response. I am not that hurry with it.

About my phone: Yes, I think it has latest version of Google Play Service. I have autoupdates turned on and  I just checked, I have no new updates. App info shows Google Play services as version 6.5.87

Rauno

[Miquel Martín]

Same issue here:

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): Activity com.appfeel.precioenergia.CordovaApp has leaked ServiceConnection com.google.android.gms.common.b@42809510 that was originally bound here

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): android.app.ServiceConnectionLeaked: Activity com.appfeel.precioenergia.CordovaApp has leaked ServiceConnection com.google.android.gms.common.b@42809510 that was originally bound here

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at android.app.LoadedApk$ServiceDispatcher.<init>(LoadedApk.java:979)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at android.app.LoadedApk.getServiceDispatcher(LoadedApk.java:873)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at android.app.ContextImpl.bindServiceAsUser(ContextImpl.java:1833)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at android.app.ContextImpl.bindService(ContextImpl.java:1821)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at android.content.ContextWrapper.bindService(ContextWrapper.java:503)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.b(SourceFile:330)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.a(SourceFile:187)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.b(SourceFile:239)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.a.t.f(SourceFile:132)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.a.t.b(SourceFile:182)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.a.q.a(SourceFile:258)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.a.q.a(SourceFile:195)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.gms.ads.internal.m.a(SourceFile:107)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.gms.ads.internal.request.c.a(SourceFile:99)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.gms.ads.internal.util.b.run(SourceFile:17)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.gms.ads.internal.util.d.call(SourceFile:29)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at com.google.android.gms.ads.internal.util.e.call(SourceFile:49)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:234)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1080)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:573)

12-04 01:01:43.709: E/ActivityThread(29511): at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:841)

[Miquel Martín]

Using Google Play Services 6171000

[Andrew Brogdon (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Thanks for the additional info.  I'll add your stack trace and version number to the bug report.

-Andrew

[Adam J]

There bug has been reported by many developers on many forums. This is causing serious memory leak.
When will this be fixed by admob? This must be priority one, I guess.

[Andrew Brogdon (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

We don't give timetables for individual fixes, but our engineers are working on the issue.

-Andrew

[Matthew Bridgeman]

Same issue as well. Figure this might be useful for you:

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): Activity com.synthdark.casesimulatorfree.android.AndroidLauncher has leaked ServiceConnection com.google.android.gms.common.b@422083a8 that was originally bound here

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): android.app.ServiceConnectionLeaked: Activity com.synthdark.casesimulatorfree.android.AndroidLauncher has leaked ServiceConnection com.google.android.gms.common.b@422083a8 that was originally bound here

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at android.app.LoadedApk$ServiceDispatcher.<init>(LoadedApk.java:1078)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at android.app.LoadedApk.getServiceDispatcher(LoadedApk.java:972)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at android.app.ContextImpl.bindServiceCommon(ContextImpl.java:1809)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at android.app.ContextImpl.bindService(ContextImpl.java:1792)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at android.content.ContextWrapper.bindService(ContextWrapper.java:524)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.b(SourceFile:330)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.a(SourceFile:187)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.a(SourceFile:173)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at com.google.android.a.u.a(SourceFile:79)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at com.google.android.a.u.doInBackground(SourceFile:75)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at android.os.AsyncTask$2.call(AsyncTask.java:288)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:237)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at android.os.AsyncTask$SerialExecutor$1.run(AsyncTask.java:231)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1112)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:587)

12-12 11:40:09.036: E/ActivityThread(16131): at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:864)

[Andrew Brogdon (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

Thanks.  I'll pass that along.

-Andrew

[Sushant Patil]

Hello,

This exception occurs due to you use same Ad unit Id - Create different Id and try.

If you use same Id for different package it will not work. Use Different Id for Different package;

[Chris]

In my case it has to do with banner refresh

After some time refresh fails and admob crash with code_internal_error. After that Abmob will not work on that device on any app. It will work again after device restart.

When admob does not work I get ServiceConnectiion leak.

[charly baquero]

Hi, running the example's code to display a banner gives the following error log:

12-15 15:48:13.899  21350-21350/com.google.android.gms.example.bannerexample E/ActivityThread﹕ Activity com.google.android.gms.example.bannerexample.MyActivity has leaked ServiceConnection com.google.android.gms.common.b@27a481f9 that was originally bound here
    android.app.ServiceConnectionLeaked: Activity com.google.android.gms.example.bannerexample.MyActivity has leaked ServiceConnection com.google.android.gms.common.b@27a481f9 that was originally bound here
            at android.app.LoadedApk$ServiceDispatcher.<init>(LoadedApk.java:1072)
            at android.app.LoadedApk.getServiceDispatcher(LoadedApk.java:966)
            at android.app.ContextImpl.bindServiceCommon(ContextImpl.java:1768)
            at android.app.ContextImpl.bindService(ContextImpl.java:1751)
            at android.content.ContextWrapper.bindService(ContextWrapper.java:538)
            at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.b(SourceFile:330)
            at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.a(SourceFile:187)
            at com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.a.a(SourceFile:173)
            at com.google.android.a.u.a(SourceFile:79)
            at com.google.android.a.u.doInBackground(SourceFile:75)
            at android.os.AsyncTask$2.call(AsyncTask.java:288)
            at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:237)
            at android.os.AsyncTask$SerialExecutor$1.run(AsyncTask.java:231)
            at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1112)
            at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:587)
            at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:818)

STEPS TO REPRODUCE:
1. Run the sample
2. Rotate the device

SDK tools version: 24.0.1
Android Studio version: 1.0.1
Android Support Library revision 21.0.3
Google Play Services revision 22

Tested on
Model number: Nexus 5
Android version: 5.0
Build number: LRX21O

Link to the example code:
https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/admob/android/quick-start#complete_code_example

Thanks!

[Bence Hegedüs]

I have the exact same problem as the OP.

Could you tell me please if it is a bug or if we can avoid this exception somhow?

Thanks

Bence

[Andrew Brogdon (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

This appears to be a bug, and we don't currently have a workaround.  That said, the engineers are working on correcting it, and we'll let everyone know when a fix is ready for release.

Thanks!

-Andrew

[Gavriel Fleischer]

Any fixes since last month?

You might be interested in a workaround (not tested by me) described here in Joe's answer:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/26525185/what-is-causing-google-admob-to-leak-serviceconnection

[Andrew Brogdon (Mobile Ads SDK Team)]

We're currently in the process of verifying that our fix is doing the job.  If you're still seeing this issue in devices running the latest version of Google Play services and apps that are built with the latest version of the Google Repository / Play services library, please let me know.

-Andrew

[Gavriel Fleischer]

Yes indeed, that's why I was asking for the fix. At least in the emulator: API 21, Android Support Repository: 11, 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:6.5.87'