According to the SDK documentation for the new version of Leadbolt’s SDK (3.0.6):
You must run this Optin on a Splash page before your main
Activity and the LeadBolt Ads are loaded with this new USDK.
But as someone said, this only seems to be mandatory for icon ads but not for notification ads. Any clarification by Leadbolt would be nice.
EDIT: I’ve been playing with the new SDK, and it seems if you don’t show the optIn dialog ads still work, but a new toast notification is shown to the user. Is this enough to comply with the new Google Policy ? To Leadbolt’s PR: Unless you translate the optIn dialog, there is no way I’m going to use it. You should implement a more flexible system.
EDIT 2: Also, you have no way to know if the user accepted the OptIn dialog. There is a single callback that is called when the user accepts or declines the agreement. I would like to deny the user the use of my application if he/she does not accept to receive the notifications, because otherwise everyone will install my application for free and ad free.
I don’t think they can force you to use the new SDK because they would lose revenue from all the already installed applications with the old version.
And the opt-in does not seem to be mandatory but here’s what is said in the SDK documentation about it:
[i]For backwards compatibility, if the optin function is not called in your
App and a call to loadNotification() or loadIcon() is made, the user will
be shown a message (Toast Notification) alerting them they have
opted in and display opt out information. The user will then be opted
into receiving notification and icon ads and the Toast message will not
re-appear.
We strongly recommend all apps using this USDK call the
loadOptin() function prior to loadNotification() or loadIcon().[/i]
I don’t think Google requires you to use an opt-in dialog for notification ads. No way I’m going to use a dialog alerting the user my app uses ads. It is already clearly stated in the description of my application. Please Leadbolt, rethink about the opt-in or a lot of publishers will abandon you.
use 3.0x = notifications with displayed app name
use 3.06 with opt-in = opt-in + notifications with displayed app name
use 3.06 without opt-in = first notification with info about ads, then notifications with displayed app name
theoretically all are in accordance with new Google Developer Policy but
it seems that LeadBolt panicked after AirPush released SDK 5.0 with built-in opt-in, so they wrote: “We strongly recomend updating to this version and adding the loadOptin (EULA) to your apps asap.”
Google policy is clear about locking app with ads or offers. Yes, your assumption is true about users that will use your app for free not for “free”. But like in any other business you need to change your model when market change itself.
I got messages from LeadBolt PM - it seems that their back-end updates (also visible on previous SDK verions) are enough for notification ads. Their new SDK (3.06) just exceeds requirements.
The EULA pop up is a mandatory inclusion of the SDK, it must be present as it ensures clarity for users and provides a good user experience in terms of what ads they might receive now or in the future. This is present not only for Google compliance, but to ensure good user experience and good industry practice.
Technically, it is possible to load notifications without calling opt-in, as they are separate methods. So I suppose that notifications are served even without opt-in.
You are right, the only difference is that if you don’t load the opt-in, the first time you call loadNotification() or loadIcon(), the following toast notification will be shown to the user:
“This app may generate notifications, place icons on home screen, or feature ads. opt-out: opt.leadbolt.com”