AdView slows down whole app, possible reason

Question

I have WebView + ListView and AdView below of screen. WebView or ListView works terrible laggy on older devices (4.0-4.3 Android) until AdView gets loaded, then it works very smoothly.

Logcat shows that AdMob try to load something incredibly often with no success until.. success and then app is smooth. May it be a reason? How to fix it?

10-10 01:02:20.954    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:20.964    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:20.974    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:20.974    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.004    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.004    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.004    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.004    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:21.014    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.024    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.024    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:21.044    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.044    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.054    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.054    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:21.054    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.054    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.074    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.074    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:21.084    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.084    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.094    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.104    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.114    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:21.114    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.124    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.134    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.134    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.144    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:21.144    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.164    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.164    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:21.164    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.174    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.184    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.184    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.184    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:21.194    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.194    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.194    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:21.204    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:21.224    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.234    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:21.234    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:22.754    7160-7163/com.test.test D/dalvikvm﹕ GC_CONCURRENT freed 380K, 12% free 7624K/8583K, paused 17ms+38ms, total 102ms
10-10 01:02:24.514    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ SET_BACKGROUND_COLOR arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:24.534    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ SET_ACTIVE arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:24.554    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ LOAD_DATA arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=android.webkit.WebViewCore$BaseUrlData@4163c488
10-10 01:02:24.564    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ WEBCORE_INITIALIZED_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:24.714    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ setCertificate=null
10-10 01:02:24.744    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ WEBCORE_NEED_TOUCH_EVENTS
10-10 01:02:24.894    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ SELECTION_STRING_CHANGED
10-10 01:02:24.904    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ SELECTION_STRING_CHANGED
10-10 01:02:24.904    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ SELECTION_STRING_CHANGED
10-10 01:02:24.904    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ didFirstLayout standardLoad =true
10-10 01:02:24.904    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ Can't get the viewWidth yet
10-10 01:02:24.914    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ SAVE_WEBARCHIVE_FINISHED
10-10 01:02:25.064    7160-7160/com.test.test I/Ads﹕ Scheduling ad refresh 60000 milliseconds from now.
10-10 01:02:25.084    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ LOAD_URL arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=android.webkit.WebViewCore$GetUrlData@41679bd8
10-10 01:02:25.084    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ CORE loadUrl about:blank
10-10 01:02:25.224    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ didFirstLayout standardLoad =true
10-10 01:02:25.234    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ setupViewport mRestoredScale=0.0 mViewScale=1.0 mTextWrapScale=1.0 data.mScale= 1.0
10-10 01:02:25.234    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ viewSizeChanged w=320; h=50; textwrapWidth=320; scale=1.0
10-10 01:02:25.244    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ WEBKIT_DRAW arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=null
10-10 01:02:25.254    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw start
10-10 01:02:25.254    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ webkitDraw NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:25.254    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ LOAD_URL arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=android.webkit.WebViewCore$GetUrlData@417630d8
10-10 01:02:25.264    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ CORE loadUrl javascript:AFMA_updateActiveView({"units":[{"viewBox":{"bottom":480,"right":320,"left":0,"top":0},"isScreenOn":true,"isPaused":false,"adFormat":"320x50_as","localVisibleBoxVisible":false,"activeViewJSON":{"click_string":"BBggidEcYVtTJNpG6pAPDj7qgBAD1k7K5qQIAABABOAHIAQPIA4gEoAYD","active_experiment_ids":"","is_active_view_immediate_enabled":true,"activeview_cpm_urls":[]},"hashCode":"a096ae7d-5728-4f8b-9c0b-95ea0edc1618","afmaVersion":"afma-sdk-a-v8115000.8115000.0","windowVisibility":0,"screenDensity":1,"localVisibleBox":{"bottom":0,"right":0,"left":0,"top":0},"isAttachedToWindow":true,"timestamp":13403686,"globalVisibleBox":{"bottom":0,"right":0,"left":0,"top":0},"isVisible":true,"adBox":{"bottom":430,"right":0,"left":0,"top":430},"hitBox":{"bottom":0,"right":0,"left":0,"top":0},"isMraid":false,"globalVisibleBoxVisible":false,"isStopped":false}]});
10-10 01:02:25.364    7160-7160/com.test.test I/Ads﹕ Ad finished loading.
10-10 01:02:25.594    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ setCertificate=null
10-10 01:02:25.594    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ WEBCORE_NEED_TOUCH_EVENTS
10-10 01:02:25.594    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ SELECTION_STRING_CHANGED
10-10 01:02:25.594    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ SELECTION_STRING_CHANGED
10-10 01:02:25.594    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ SELECTION_STRING_CHANGED
10-10 01:02:25.604    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ SAVE_WEBARCHIVE_FINISHED
10-10 01:02:25.604    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ NEW_PICTURE_MSG_ID
10-10 01:02:25.644    7160-7160/com.test.test V/webview﹕ sendOurVisibleRect=(0,430,r=320,b=480
10-10 01:02:25.664    7160-7163/com.test.test D/dalvikvm﹕ GC_CONCURRENT freed 324K, 11% free 7716K/8583K, paused 24ms+32ms, total 130ms
10-10 01:02:26.434    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ LOAD_URL arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=android.webkit.WebViewCore$GetUrlData@416f4320
10-10 01:02:26.434    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ CORE loadUrl javascript:AFMA_updateActiveView({"units":[{"viewBox":{"bottom":480,"right":320,"left":0,"top":0},"isScreenOn":true,"isPaused":false,"adFormat":"320x50_as","localVisibleBoxVisible":false,"activeViewJSON":{"click_string":"BBggidEcYVtTJNpG6pAPDj7qgBAD1k7K5qQIAABABOAHIAQPIA4gEoAYD","active_experiment_ids":"","is_active_view_immediate_enabled":true,"activeview_cpm_urls":[]},"hashCode":"a096ae7d-5728-4f8b-9c0b-95ea0edc1618","afmaVersion":"afma-sdk-a-v8115000.8115000.0","windowVisibility":0,"screenDensity":1,"localVisibleBox":{"bottom":0,"right":0,"left":0,"top":0},"isAttachedToWindow":true,"timestamp":13403836,"globalVisibleBox":{"bottom":0,"right":0,"left":0,"top":0},"isVisible":true,"adBox":{"bottom":430,"right":0,"left":0,"top":430},"hitBox":{"bottom":0,"right":0,"left":0,"top":0},"isMraid":false,"globalVisibleBoxVisible":false,"isStopped":false}]});
10-10 01:02:26.474    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ LOAD_URL arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=android.webkit.WebViewCore$GetUrlData@416d1eb8
10-10 01:02:26.474    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ CORE loadUrl javascript:AFMA_updateActiveView({"units":[{"viewBox":{"bottom":480,"right":320,"left":0,"top":0},"isScreenOn":true,"isPaused":false,"adFormat":"320x50_as","localVisibleBoxVisible":true,"activeViewJSON":{"click_string":"BBggidEcYVtTJNpG6pAPDj7qgBAD1k7K5qQIAABABOAHIAQPIA4gEoAYD","active_experiment_ids":"","is_active_view_immediate_enabled":true,"activeview_cpm_urls":[]},"hashCode":"a096ae7d-5728-4f8b-9c0b-95ea0edc1618","afmaVersion":"afma-sdk-a-v8115000.8115000.0","windowVisibility":0,"screenDensity":1,"localVisibleBox":{"bottom":50,"right":320,"left":0,"top":0},"isAttachedToWindow":true,"timestamp":13404006,"globalVisibleBox":{"bottom":480,"right":320,"left":0,"top":430},"isVisible":true,"adBox":{"bottom":480,"right":320,"left":0,"top":430},"hitBox":{"bottom":50,"right":320,"left":0,"top":0},"isMraid":false,"globalVisibleBoxVisible":true,"isStopped":false}]});
10-10 01:02:26.484    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ SET_SCROLL_OFFSET arg1=1 arg2=0 obj=Point(0, 0)
10-10 01:02:26.514    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ SET_GLOBAL_BOUNDS arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=Rect(0, 430 - 320, 480)
10-10 01:02:26.524    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ VIEW_SIZE_CHANGED arg1=0 arg2=0 obj=android.webkit.WebViewClassic$ViewSizeData@416f7348
10-10 01:02:26.524    7160-7214/com.test.test V/webcore﹕ viewSizeChanged w=320; h=50; textwrapWidth=320; scale=1.0

EDIT:

AdView is created in Activity.onCreate method. VISIBLE on start. http://pastebin.com/xZ7C8WGK

Answer 1

I have a simple animation that runs when the app starts, it used to run smoothly before I put AdMob ads, apparently AdMob needs a lot of resources to start up.

so my solution was to wait for the animations to end, then start loading the ad.

Handler handler = new Handler();
handler.postDelayed(new Runnable() {
     @Override
     public void run() {
          AdRequest bannerRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();
          mAdView.loadAd(bannerRequest);
     }
},2000);

Admob is only slow at starting up, so this solved the start up lag.

Answer 2

Most likely it is a problem. It can easily be checked by removing AdView (if I understand you correctly) I do not know the specifics of your application, but I advise you to try Crosswalk Project.

In general, work with the Admob to be synchronous, but you can try to use AsyncTask for its creation. Alternatively, you can try to run ads immediately, but after some time.

Still I can advise to try to use a third-party plug-in for Admob.

Finally, the case may be in an unstable Internet channel. That's all I could think of. I hope that everything will be OK.