iAds wont fill on iPhone apps running in compatibility mode on iPad

Solar2D Monetization (in-app purchases, ads, etc.)
#1

iPhone apps running on iPads “compatibility mode” won’t serve iAds.

To see this problem, you can load the iAd demo from the Corona demo code directory and build it for iPhone ONLY. Then take the bits and drop them on your iPad and run it. This is a sort of “Compatibility” mode where the screen is upscaled to show on the iPad.

The app runs, but when you select “Show Banner” you will get the following error:

 

The operation couldn’t be completed. (ADErrorDomain error 3.)

 

Dont try to show “Interstitial” ads. They dont work on iPhone anyway, and the code was built for iPhones so you get an error telling you interstitial does not function on iPhone.

When you see ADErrorDomain error 3, your iAds are not going to serve. This seems to be something Apple will reject for. I don’t have a backup ad service enabled in my game, so it does not show any ads at all in this mode. So I got a rejection (twice) for :

After continuing our review of your app, we have verified that your app contains code that is accessing the Advertising Identifier, however, we did not see ads served in your app. As stated in section 3.3.12 of the iOS Developer Program License Agreement, an app must serve ads in order to use the Advertising Identifier:

I spoke with “Kathy” from iOS reviewer board and she said the app was being tested on iPad at the time it failed. So the only info I can go on is that the ads are expected to work in this configuration where iPhone apps are running on an iPad in compatibility mode. 

I tried this with iOS 7.1.1, iOS 8.0 and iOS 8.02. I tried with the latest public build 2014.2393a as well as nightly build 2448. They all behave the same way. 

Any tips or tricks I may be missing here? This would be an awesome time for one of Rob Miracle’s “Miracles”  :smiley:

Note: I submitted a bug last night with the repro information given in this post.

#2

Hi @TamaracApps,

May I inquire why you’re not building a Universal app, if it’s destined for both iPhone and iPad?

Brent

#3

We decided early on to make this two separate apps to allow us to have differing gameplay, graphics and monetary models. 

Additionally, this version of the app is an iPhone only app and I do not intend it to be run on iPads. This is something Apple is doing as part of their testing. I would prefer it if they didnt try running iphone apps on the ipad. So its not something I am doing. My goal will be to create two apps - one for iPad and one for iPhone. Apple is making me check compatibility of my iPhone version on ipads. Does this answer your question?

Any ideas on what may be going on with the error I list above?

Thanks!

Paul

#4

Hi Paul,

So basically, when the app runs in compatibility mode, it’s calling an iAds banner but somehow it’s being interpreted as an interstitial and then it fails?

#5

No. The problem comes when trying to place a banner ad.

Just to be clear, this happens using Corona’s demo app for iAds - not just my app.

  • Load up the iAd demo app from the corona example apps directory
  • Build the thing for iPhone only
  • Then drop it on your iPad (note that Apple does this for iPhone app testing)
  • Test the app by pressing the button for Banner ads. You will see the error listed above.
#6

Can you please file a bug report please.  If it’s happening with our sample app, you can use it as the required sample.  Just compress it to a .zip file and use the Report a bug feature at the top.

Rob

#7

In the note in my first post I mentioned I already submitted a bug report. I used the web based bug reporter and didnt get a case number from it. Nor did I get an email reply indicating the bug was received. Maybe I will try again. 

Thanks!

Paul

#8

Can you post the bug ID # here?

#9

I have submitted the same bug twice to corona using the “Report a bug” link at the top of the webpage. 

Neither time did the site give me any email or any bug ID. I get taken to the Corona Bug Submission “Thanks for submitting a bug” page, and nothing else is given. 

Give it a try. Should I try to get onboard with the fogbugz site to submit there? 

Am I using the supported method to report bugs?

FYI the “Thanks for submitting a bug” page is at this link:

developer.coronalabs.com/node/843/done?sid=15189

maybe the bug number is encoded in that link?

#10

You should have gotten an email with the bug ID in the email message.  I don’t see any bugs filed by your email address that are open.  The only iAds bug with your email address is about multi-touch filed back in 2013.

Rob

#11

Hi @TamaracApps,

May I inquire why you’re not building a Universal app, if it’s destined for both iPhone and iPad?

Brent

#12

We decided early on to make this two separate apps to allow us to have differing gameplay, graphics and monetary models. 

Additionally, this version of the app is an iPhone only app and I do not intend it to be run on iPads. This is something Apple is doing as part of their testing. I would prefer it if they didnt try running iphone apps on the ipad. So its not something I am doing. My goal will be to create two apps - one for iPad and one for iPhone. Apple is making me check compatibility of my iPhone version on ipads. Does this answer your question?

Any ideas on what may be going on with the error I list above?

Thanks!

Paul

#13

Hi Paul,

So basically, when the app runs in compatibility mode, it’s calling an iAds banner but somehow it’s being interpreted as an interstitial and then it fails?

#14

No. The problem comes when trying to place a banner ad.

Just to be clear, this happens using Corona’s demo app for iAds - not just my app.

  • Load up the iAd demo app from the corona example apps directory
  • Build the thing for iPhone only
  • Then drop it on your iPad (note that Apple does this for iPhone app testing)
  • Test the app by pressing the button for Banner ads. You will see the error listed above.
#15

Can you please file a bug report please.  If it’s happening with our sample app, you can use it as the required sample.  Just compress it to a .zip file and use the Report a bug feature at the top.

Rob

#16

In the note in my first post I mentioned I already submitted a bug report. I used the web based bug reporter and didnt get a case number from it. Nor did I get an email reply indicating the bug was received. Maybe I will try again. 

Thanks!

Paul

#17

Can you post the bug ID # here?

#18

I have submitted the same bug twice to corona using the “Report a bug” link at the top of the webpage. 

Neither time did the site give me any email or any bug ID. I get taken to the Corona Bug Submission “Thanks for submitting a bug” page, and nothing else is given. 

Give it a try. Should I try to get onboard with the fogbugz site to submit there? 

Am I using the supported method to report bugs?

FYI the “Thanks for submitting a bug” page is at this link:

developer.coronalabs.com/node/843/done?sid=15189

maybe the bug number is encoded in that link?

#19

You should have gotten an email with the bug ID in the email message.  I don’t see any bugs filed by your email address that are open.  The only iAds bug with your email address is about multi-touch filed back in 2013.

Rob