Should we prefer AdMob in Google Play services compared to "old" AdMob SDK

Question

I just realized Google embeds AdMob into latest Google Play services (4+)

I was wondering, should I prefer https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/#play over https://developers.google.com/mobile-ads-sdk/docs/#android ? As I do not see Google official stand on this.

The reason I ask so, I found AdMob from Google Play services is pretty buggy still.

This is my observation.

1. Create an smart banner from Java code, and place it in a middle of a scroll view.
2. Whenever the smart banner fetches an advertisement from Google server successfully, the scroll view will auto scroll to make the smart banner visible.

This seems to be an undesired behavior from my point of view. That's why, I still hesitate to migrate over new Google Play services.

The full source code to demonstrate the bug can be found here : AdMob from Google Play Services will perform undesired auto scrolling

Answer 1

If you want to integrate many ads SDK and if they are using Google play services as back-end support to deliver ads and you also want to show Admob banner ads then you should use it.

its very easy to use .just add goole play service lib project and then use

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     xmlns:ads="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"

              android:id="@+id/linearLayout"
              android:orientation="vertical"
              android:layout_width="match_parent"
              android:layout_height="match_parent">
    <com.google.android.gms.ads.AdView android:id="@+id/adView"
                         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                         ads:adUnitId="a1529793ead3391"
                         ads:adSize="BANNER"/>

</LinearLayout>

now you can simple add following snippet in activity where you want to show

 AdView adView = (AdView)findViewById(R.id.adView);
    AdRequest adRequest = new AdRequest.Builder().build();
    adView.loadAd(adRequest);