Is Firebase now mandatory for use of Google Analytics Mobile Properties?

Question

Is Firebase now required for setting up Google Analytics for Mobile? In the past, when I've setup Google Analytics for Mobile, I've selected "Mobile" from the Create New Property view and gotten the standard Analytics key (e.g., "UA-BLAHBLAH-BL"). However, when I went to setup a new property today, that is not what is happening. Instead, I am seeing this:

It appears that there is now no way to use the traditional Google Analytics SDK for new properties using the analytics key of olde.

Am I correct in this deduction? Or is there some other way to setup a new Mobile property with an analytics key of the past that I have missed?

Answer 1

Re-iterating the steps here from the same document for information to be available in same post:

1. Sign in to your Google Analytics account.
2. Click Admin.
3. In the PROPERTY column, select Create new property from the dropdown menu.
4. Select Website.
5. Provide a Website Name. You may use the name of your app.
6. Provide a Website URL. You may use your company URL or the URL for your app’s marketing site.
7. Click Get Tracking ID.
8. In the VIEW column, select Create new view from the dropdown menu.
9. Select Mobile app.
10. Provide a Reporting View Name.
11. Click Create View