I just saw some message in Chartboost backend:
Announcing the Chartboost 5.0 SDKs - Featuring iOS 8 Compatibility, Video, and Improved APIs!
What’s the SDK version used in Gremlin Charboost plugin?
Since Gremlin gave up the plugin, I am trying to figure out how long this plugin can be used…
I’d also like to know how long we can expect the Chartboost plugin to remain available by adding it in build.settings.
Meanwhile, I received an email from Chartboost, stating:
First, iOS 8 is coming soon, bringing along with it some major enhancements for iPhone and iPad. Unfortunately, a handful of older iOS devices won’t be compatible because of significant changes to its operating system. The name of the game is compatibility, which is why to avoid interruptions to Chartboost’s monetization services, you need to update to our latest SDK 5.0.
Does anyone know what this " handful of older iOS devices" mean?
As long as the current Chartboost plugin works fine with iOS 8, and the anticipated failures are only with “older iOS device”, I can totally live with it. After all, Corona does not support older devices that cannot update to iOS 7 – meaning, Corona apps won’t work on iPhone 1G, 3G, 3GS, iPod 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and iPad 1G anyway.
Naomi
Ah, one more thing.
If the current Chartboost plugin doesn’t work with iOS 8, that’s a concern – but only if it doesn’t silently fail.
I’m okay with Chartboost silently failing with iOS 8, because it should behave the same way as if Chartboost isn’t there at all. And if so, I don’t have to trouble myself with removing the plugin to accommodate iOS 8.
Has anyone had a chance to test Chartboost plugin with iOS 8?
Naomi
So, I tested my app on an iPad with iOS 8 beta 5, and Chartboost works great. No issue whatsoever.
Also, from what I understand, the version of Chartboost SDK that was used to build the current Chartboost plugin was a version of SDK immediately prior to version 5.0. (But this info needs to be verified & confirmed.)
Naomi
Thanks Naomi.
That will be a great news. Have you tested by downloading an app to see if you get the download to register (and the $)?
Thanks again.
Mo
Hey, Mo, I actually didn’t test that far. I’ll do that now and post back the result.
Please note, I don’t know how soon the download of another app via Chartboost gets registered on the dashboard. I’ll check the result later today or tomorrow.
Naomi
Hey, Ed from Chartboost here.
While we always recommend using the latest version of our SDK, the Gremlin plugin is using our 4.X SDK which will be remain supported for quite some time. In all our tests, the 4.X SDK is compatible with iOS 8 and you should have no problems releasing with the currently available plugin.
However if you want to use any of the new features in the 5.0 SDK, you may need to wait for Gremlin to update the plugin to use the new native SDKs.
Ed,
Guess you didn’t see that Gremlin killed their plugin and open sourced it? So now there’s the open source project from Chartboost that died on iOS a couple of Corona releases ago. And now we have the Gremlin open sourced project that isn’t written in Lua (so it can’t be used on lower versions) that will quickly become stale.
Can Chartboost please help? I seem to remember that Chartboost said they were going to have someone there actually working on the open source plugin but I have yet to see that happen.
This is really starting to get pathetic.
A quick note about the Chartboost plugin & iOS 8 beta 5 – it worked, and the download registered on dashboard without an issue.
@edzme, it would be really helpful if Chartboost will support the plugin made for Corona. I think there are and will be enough developers who’d add Chartboost ads only if the plugin is being supported and we can trust it to work.
Naomi
BTW, I also think it would be nice if Chartboost would actually hire Gremlin to continue supporting the plugin. This way, there will be no need for Gremlin to worry about licensing or piracy (which caused some really unfortunate issues.) Chartboost will make money when lots of Corona developers integrate Chartboost plugin and display Chartboost ads, while Gremlin gets paid for their effort.
That would be fair.
My two cents.
Naomi
Based on Gremlin, there are millions of devices each day starting up that use its Chartboost plugin. On top of that, I think there wasn’t enough time given for the plugin to reach all the potential developers (not including new Corona joiners everyday).
Besides, it takes some time for Corona developers to start integrating Charboost when they see fit. For example, I didn’t use Chartboost at all for the first year of my Corona subscription. Later I am developing a game and found Chartboost that seemed providing good quality of service, then I started to integrate Chartboost. Only when Chartboost performs well, I will continue to use it. And who knows if one of my future apps might get to App Store #1 which includes Chartboost too. I think everything is all “connected”. You can’t just judge if it’s going to make money or not simply from a short period of time of observation.
I really hope Chartboost can consider to support the plugin.
The Gremlin plugin uses Chartboost SDK 4.5.1
I’ve had issues with it on iOS 8 where landscape ads will show up in portrait orientation leaving the Close button off-screen so the user can’t close the ad. I contacted Chartboost last week about it, and they said it’s a known problem with 4.5.1.
The plugin must use version 5.0 for guaranteed iOS8 compatibility.
I have my own plugin and have updated it to support version 5.0 of their SDK.
Hey, Ingemar, that’s interesting to know.
My latest app that uses Chartboost plugin is a landscape app, and it doesn’t manifest the issue you describe with iOS 8 beta 5 at all.
Does your app work with both portrait and landscape? Mine works only with landscape. And I haven’t seen any issues whatsoever.
Naomi
It’s only landscape (although I allow rotation landscapeRight / landscapeLeft).
When I contacted Chartboost they were aware of the issue and said they would fix it in 5.0, which I can confirm they did.
Just for some clarification. This is an excerpt from an email I got from Chartboost yesterday:
First, iOS 8 is coming soon, bringing along with it some major enhancements for iPhone and iPad. […] The name of the game is compatibility, which is why to avoid interruptions to Chartboost’s monetization services, you need to update to our latest SDK 5.0.
[…]
This SDK 5.0 (iOS, Android, Unity) update includes:
• iOS 8 compatibility
• Chartboost Video - interstitial and rewarded
• Easier integration & improved APIs - more impressions and increased monetization
Hey, Ingemar, that’s good to know. Without having the first hand experience with the issue you described, I’m not sure what to make of it. Will you let me know how I may reproduce this?
Thanks so much.
Naomi
I was testing on an iPod Touch 5th generation and consistently got landscape ads in portrait orientation (obscuring the close button) using Gremlin’s plugin on iOS8.
Since you don’t have any problems, it seems to be an issue that’s based on a number of circumstances if it behaves correctly or not. The fact remains that their 5.0 SDK doesn’t have the problem.
Ah, okay, I’ve been testing mostly on iPad. With the iPod, I unlocked the game, meaning I wouldn’t see how it may regularly behave on iPod.
Edit: BTW, my app is landscape, so, perhaps that’s why I’ve never seen this issue with mine. And, I just checked on an iPhone, and Chartboost showed the close button without an issue.
Naomi
I have some apps with charboost plugin with the key
chartboost.init(
{
licenseKey = “XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX”,
appID = yourAppID,
testMode = false,
appSignature = yourAppSignature,
listener = chartBoostListener,
–betaMode = true,
}
);
—*************************************************-------------
And in the build settings
[“plugin.chartboost”] =
{
–required
publisherId = “com.gremlininteractive”,
},
–******************************************************************
So I have to remove the licensekey from the apps?
What happens if I dont remove it?
Gremlin’s Chartboost plugin version 1.4.x doesn’t validate licenses so you can remove it after you update ( recompile) with the new plugin. If you do not update you run the risk of the plugin failing if Gremlin decides to take down their licensing server. I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon, but I’d advise you to recompile and re submit your apps quickly to be on the safe side.