iOS iAds - No Requests

[Sean7512]

Hey everyone,

Lsat night, my first iOS game and first iAd application was approved, awesome!

I noticed that not a single ad is displayed when playing the game at all. My debug builds all properly display the test ads, so I presume the code is correct. The iAd module is showing that my app is "Live" and it shows it as having 0 requests.

I found a couple threads of other people with the same issue:
https://devforums.apple.com/message/951498#951498
https://devforums.apple.com/message/948020#948020
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/20894379/iad-banner-is-not-showing-in-the-approved-iphone-app
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/22314020/iad-no-requests-test-ads-displayed-fine-previously

The consensus is (not confirmed) that after your app is put in the store, the iAd team reviews your app, so it may take a few days longer. If that is the case, why does the iAd module say the app is receiving "Live Ads"? Does anyone have experience with iAds and can chime in?

I am just trying to figure out if I need to update my code because I didn't do something right or not....

In my ViewController, I have:

@interface MainViewController()

@property (strong, nonatomic) ADBannerView *adView;

@end

Then in viewDidLoad (ignore the non-constants, I forgot to pull them as constants before submitting). The game is landscape only and this just puts the add on the bottom:

    // setup iAd
    if ([[UIDevice currentDevice] userInterfaceIdiom] == UIUserInterfaceIdiomPhone) {
        self.adView = [[ADBannerView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 288, 480, 32)];
    } else {
        self.adView = [[ADBannerView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 702, 1024, 66)];
    }
    self.adView.delegate = self;

Then my delegate methods:

- (void)bannerView:(ADBannerView *)banner didFailToReceiveAdWithError:(NSError *)error {
    [banner removeFromSuperview];
}

- (void)bannerViewActionDidFinish:(ADBannerView *)banner {
    [self resumeGame];
}

- (BOOL)bannerViewActionShouldBegin:(ADBannerView *)banner willLeaveApplication:(BOOL)willLeave {
    [self pauseGame];
    return YES;
}

- (void)bannerViewDidLoadAd:(ADBannerView *)banner {
    [self.view addSubview:banner];
}

- (void)bannerViewWillLoadAd:(ADBannerView *)banner {

}

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Is anyone actually running your app?
Does Apple have ads that target the people running your apps (IE, there are very few iAds aimed at children, so often if kids are playing your game they'll see nothing for ads).

Also, I'd wait at least another day or two before suspecting something is wrong. The data in iTunes Connect can take up to 72 hours to be properly updated, in my experience.

 

[Sean7512]

Is anyone actually running your app?
Does Apple have ads that target the people running your apps (IE, there are very few iAds aimed at children, so often if kids are playing your game they'll see nothing for ads).

Also, I'd wait at least another day or two before suspecting something is wrong. The data in iTunes Connect can take up to 72 hours to be properly updated, in my experience.

Yes, there are lots of Game Center high scores being submitted, so the app is being used. The game is not a children's game, it is listed under Arcade. There should be ads for the target devices...

I'll give it another day or so. Maybe I will add an ad mediation layer... This is the game FWIW (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pilot-ace/id833488539?ls=1&mt=8)

 

[1458279]

I don't know if this is the case with your app or not, but a few years ago someone posted that he was having a problem with the number of users vs the number of downloads.

He setup a server and had something like 10X the number of people on the server as he had downloads.

Basically they stole the app and were running it on a jailbroken device.

the next issue might be the number of people that have wifi off to avoid ads.

the third issue is ad-blockers.


I don't have a lot of information about ad-blockers, but I've been using one on my PC because the number ads were too much.

I don't know if all ads are based on WiFi or not, but as I understand it, all a person has to do is turn off the WiFi and you get no ads displayed.

Might be worth looking into. Maybe you can get a report back on the number of downloads vs scores and maybe some info on WiFi settings.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I don't know if this is the case with your app or not, but a few years ago someone posted that he was having a problem with the number of users vs the number of downloads.

He setup a server and had something like 10X the number of people on the server as he had downloads.

Basically they stole the app and were running it on a jailbroken device.

the next issue might be the number of people that have wifi off to avoid ads.

the third issue is ad-blockers.


I don't have a lot of information about ad-blockers, but I've been using one on my PC because the number ads were too much.

I don't know if all ads are based on WiFi or not, but as I understand it, all a person has to do is turn off the WiFi and you get no ads displayed.

Might be worth looking into. Maybe you can get a report back on the number of downloads vs scores and maybe some info on WiFi settings.

He said they're uploading scores to Game Center which would indicate that they have an internet connection, at least at the end of their games.

But it is possible that they've jail broken or found a way to only block iAd requests on their network or something... But all of your customers? I can imagine a few people did it, but not everyone.

You may have had your app pirated. You could look around at the various websites that host pirated apps.

 

[Sean7512]

He said they're uploading scores to Game Center which would indicate that they have an internet connection, at least at the end of their games.

But it is possible that they've jail broken or found a way to only block iAd requests on their network or something... But all of your customers? I can imagine a few people did it, but not everyone.

You may have had your app pirated. You could look around at the various websites that host pirated apps.

hmmm...is there a benefit to pirate a free app (I've never jailbroken my device, so I don't know)?

I know of a handful of people that are using the app legitimately (wife, sisters, friends).

 

[dejo]

Is your iAd module still showing 0 requests?

 

[Sean7512]

Is your iAd module still showing 0 requests?

Just checked and there is 1 request with a 100% fill rate! I opened the app on my phone and sure enough, an ad was displayed!

I guess that it does take a few days after release to start receiving ads. Kind of sucks, I wish there was a way to hold an app's release until its approved by the iAd team.

Anyways, thanks for everyone's suggestions!

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

hmmm...is there a benefit to pirate a free app (I've never jailbroken my device, so I don't know)?

I've also never jailbroken my device, but I believe you can turn off of ads by doing so.

 

[1458279]

I've also never jailbroken my device, but I believe you can turn off of ads by doing so.

I read something not long ago that said they were able to block ads by seeing the connection and stopping the ad.

I'm pretty sure it was one of the ad blockers that figured out how to do this.

The conclusion of the story was that we need something different in order to get something for our development efforts.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I read something not long ago that said they were able to block ads by seeing the connection and stopping the ad.

I'm pretty sure it was one of the ad blockers that figured out how to do this.

The conclusion of the story was that we need something different in order to get something for our development efforts.

Not really... Most customers are honest people, or so I like to believe.