googleads-mobile-flutter: [Android] Using `await MobileAds.instance.initialize()` the app fails to load

We’re having the same issue. It seems that underlying MobileAds#initialize invocation never returns async result.

The issue happens on Android devices and emulators, builds for iOS do not have this problem.

same issue

Fatal Exception: java.lang.LinkageError: Method java.lang.Object com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.jo3.zzb() overrides final method in class Lcom/google/android/gms/internal/ads/bo3; (declaration of 'com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.jo3' appears in base.apk)
       at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.zzcpq.zza(zzcpq.java:44)
       at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.zzevk.zza(zzevk.java:365)
       at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.zzeke.zzN(zzeke.java:58)
       at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.zzeke.zze(zzeke.java:6)
       at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.zzbhd.zzg(zzbhd.java:203)
       at com.google.android.gms.ads.BaseAdView.loadAd(BaseAdView.java:6)
       at io.flutter.plugins.googlemobileads.FlutterBannerAd.load(FlutterBannerAd.java:60)
       at io.flutter.plugins.googlemobileads.GoogleMobileAdsPlugin.onMethodCall(GoogleMobileAdsPlugin.java:737)
       at io.flutter.plugin.common.MethodChannel$IncomingMethodCallHandler.onMessage(MethodChannel.java:17)
       at io.flutter.embedding.engine.dart.DartMessenger.handleMessageFromDart(DartMessenger.java:49)
       at io.flutter.embedding.engine.FlutterJNI.handlePlatformMessage(FlutterJNI.java:4)
       at android.os.MessageQueue.nativePollOnce(MessageQueue.java)
       at android.os.MessageQueue.next(MessageQueue.java:326)
       at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:160)
       at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6894)
       at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java)
       at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:493)
       at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:883)

E/AndroidRuntime(17716): FATAL EXCEPTION: main E/AndroidRuntime(17716): java.lang.LinkageError: Method java.lang.Object com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.jo3.zzb() overrides final method in class Lcom/google/android/gms/internal/ads/bo3; (declaration of ‘com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.jo3’ appears in base.apk) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.ev0.<init>(Unknown Source:307) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.dv0.zza(Unknown Source:66) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.kk2.a(Unknown Source:297) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.e82.l0(Unknown Source:75) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.e82.Q2(Unknown Source:5) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at com.google.android.gms.internal.ads.a70.i(Unknown Source:28) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at com.google.android.gms.ads.c0.a.b(Unknown Source:29) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at io.flutter.plugins.googlemobileads.FlutterAdLoader.loadInterstitial(Unknown Source:2) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at io.flutter.plugins.googlemobileads.FlutterInterstitialAd.load(Unknown Source:23) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at io.flutter.plugins.googlemobileads.GoogleMobileAdsPlugin.onMethodCall(Unknown Source:1365) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at io.flutter.plugin.common.MethodChannel$IncomingMethodCallHandler.onMessage(Unknown Source:17) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at io.flutter.embedding.engine.dart.DartMessenger.handleMessageFromDart(Unknown Source:49) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at io.flutter.embedding.engine.FlutterJNI.handlePlatformMessage(Unknown Source:4) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at android.os.MessageQueue.nativePollOnce(Native Method) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at android.os.MessageQueue.next(MessageQueue.java:335) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:190) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:8052) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:656) E/AndroidRuntime(17716): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:967)

We have confirmed that this is related to a serving change and only affects a subset of app ids. A fix is being worked on which will roll out without needing to update the plugin or SDK version.

For the future, I would not recommend blocking your app’s startup on MobileAds.instance.initialize().

why the official google_mobile_ads plugin is so bad???

Also quote from documentation:

Before loading ads, have your app initialize the Mobile Ads SDK by calling MobileAds.instance.initialize(), which initializes the SDK and returns a Future that finishes once initialization is complete (or after a 30-second timeout).

It’s not true, there isn’t timeout, the app freezes completely

This issue has rendered my production app useless for thousands of users. It was all working fine for months 😢

This issue also causing problem to my production app. App was fine until now. Yesterday got a bad review that app is not event opening. After debugging found that MobileAds.instance.initialize() never completes. I didn’t change anything (same version of my app was working before) that would affect it. It seems to be issue from Google AdMob.

Workaround is to not await for for MobileAds.instance.initialize().

And a interesting part is that, it does not happen in all device, it don’t return any value in Emulator and my mobile POCO F1 (Pixel Experience). But worked fine in POCO X3 (MIUI).

Using google_mobile_ads: ^0.13.3

Also happening with me. In my tests I found this:

1. It works the first time the app opens, but then never again. For it to work again, you have to uninstall and download the app again.
2. It’s only on Android, and appears to be a problem with the native com.google.android.gms.ads.MobileAds.
3. It was working until yesterday morning (10/11/2021). Then the app, the same app (not a new build), started getting stuck on Initialize.

Hi @fleoparra, Thanks for filing the issue. I could not reproduce the issue using ads plugin 0.13.6 when intilializing ads usingawait the app loads and runs fine. Please take a look at the below code sample let me know if I am missing anything. code sample logs flutter doctor -v

Thanks

Hi @maheshmnj, I have replace my main code with your code and happens the same problem on my projects. I had recorded a video for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-eCZGUlSlk

Hi there, upon further investigation, we can confirm the ads serving issue mentioned in this thread is now resolved. Meanwhile, we want to call out that Awaiting init in main function is an antipattern. Init involves a network call, which is async and may fail. We recommend you avoid using this approach in the code. Thank you.

I tried again with the simplest code sample and yet did not reproduce any issue the ad loads 100% of the time for me. Keeping this issue open for further investigation from the team.

import 'package:flutter/cupertino.dart';
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
import 'package:google_mobile_ads/google_mobile_ads.dart';

Future<void> main() async {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  // setting prefered orientations
  SystemChrome.setPreferredOrientations([
    DeviceOrientation.portraitUp,
  ]);
  await MobileAds.instance.initialize();
  runApp(const BannerApp());
}

class BannerApp extends StatelessWidget {
  const BannerApp({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return const MaterialApp(home: CenteredBanner());
  }
}

class CenteredBanner extends StatefulWidget {
  const CenteredBanner({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  _CenteredBannerState createState() => _CenteredBannerState();
}

class _CenteredBannerState extends State<CenteredBanner> {
  late BannerAd _bannerAd;
  bool isAdloaded = false;
  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    _bannerAd = BannerAd(
      adUnitId: BannerAd.testAdUnitId,
      size: AdSize.mediumRectangle,
      request: AdRequest(),
      listener: BannerAdListener(
        onAdLoaded: (Ad ad) {
          print('$BannerAd loaded.');
          setState(() {
            isAdloaded = true;
          });
        },
      ),
    );
    _bannerAd.load();
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
        appBar: AppBar(
          title: Text('Banner Ad'),
        ),
        body: SizedBox(
          height: 50,
          child: AdWidget(
            ad: BannerAd(
              adUnitId: BannerAd.testAdUnitId,
              request: AdRequest(),
              size: AdSize.banner,
              listener: BannerAdListener(),
            )..load(),
          ),
        ));
  }
}

[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 2.5.3, on macOS 12.0.1 21A559 darwin-arm, locale en-GB)
    • Flutter version 2.5.3 at /Users/mahesh/Documents/flutter
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision 18116933e7 (4 weeks ago), 2021-10-15 10:46:35 -0700
    • Engine revision d3ea636dc5
    • Dart version 2.14.4

[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 31.0.0)
    • Android SDK at /Users/mahesh/Library/Android/sdk
    • Platform android-31, build-tools 31.0.0
    • ANDROID_HOME = /Users/mahesh/Library/Android/sdk
    • Java binary at: /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents/jre/jdk/Contents/Home/bin/java
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 11.0.8+10-b944.6916264)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

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    • Xcode 13.1, Build version 13A1030d
    • CocoaPods version 1.10.2

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    • Android Studio at /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents
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• No issues found!

cc: @jjliu15

As other people said, this problem happens only on android devices. In some cases, first time works but other runs fails. I had an app on the store for months with that line working without problems but yesterday we realize that all of our apps with that line get stuck on splash screen.

This issue ruined the ratings of my app of million+ downloads, had to remove the “await” as a temporary fix in new update. Ads are not working now.

Same 🥺

Hi guys I am also receiving this problem before upgrading to google_mobiles_ads my app in google play was working fine on all devices using the flutter admob, it was even working on my test app, then my android app stop loading, anyone with the old version of my app could load the app and the Ads work fine and anyone who has updated to new version the apps crashes iOS is fine

I get the same issue as everyone, my android app will not load at all unless I change my Application ID to any random ID or I remove Await from MobileAds.instance.initialize() however the ADs will still not load and error message No Ad Config even with test ad ID’s,

I can replicate the issue on any app that is using google_mobile_ads just by adding my application ID or any live application ID.

version ^0.13.4 & ^0.13.6 SDK 30 Error message: No Ad config

I think this issue has popped up around the same time for everyone, I had this for a few days not but just saw this tread

Any help would be great thanks

This issue ruined the ratings of my app of million+ downloads, had to remove the “await” as a temporary fix in new update. Ads are not working now.

We have confirmed that this is related to a serving change and only affects a subset of app ids. A fix is being worked on which will roll out without needing to update the plugin or SDK version.

For the future, I would not recommend blocking your app’s startup on MobileAds.instance.initialize().

Error persist on google_mobile_ads: ^1.0.0

The same problem my app crashed all instances. I had to update.

It only initialize with test app id

  <meta-data            android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
            android:value="ca-app-pub-3940256099942544~3347511713"/>