We’re introducing new changes to Open Bidding that will give you more control and transparency on how you want to work with access to 200+ real-time bidders. Soon, you’ll be able to customize the policy setup for each bidder to adjust how they spend on your inventory. And we’re continuing to add more buyers such as Snap and InMobi to increase competition and help you earn even more. With this expansion, we are announcing that Open Bidding is now generally available to all app developers. This technology represents such a fundamental improvement to how developers monetize that we are updating the product name to simply be AdMob bidding.
IGG, the creator behind popular strategy games like Lords Mobile, was looking for a monetization platform to help diversify revenue streams beyond in-app purchases. After moving to the AdMob platform and implementing bidding across all of their new casual games, the team saw their ads ARPDAU double.
Apply strong brand safety controls to maintain user trust
As people’s expectations around digital privacy continue to rise, it’s critical to build trust through engaging and brand-appropriate ads. While a meaningful ad experience can complement your app and increase trust, a bad experience can lead to an uninstall or, even worse, a loss of trust in your brand.
To ensure brand safety, your platform should have a high bar for the quality of advertiser demand and provide controls to help you deliver an optimal ad experience. With AdMob, you can block ads from certain categories or specific competitors, or use the Ad review center to review ads flowing through the AdMob network and manually block them if needed. We’ll expand these same ad quality controls to third-party buyers participating in bidding in 2022.
We’ve learned so much in an industry that’s changing faster than ever. As we head into 2022, we look forward to continuing to partner together to shape the future of app monetization.
Changes in consumer purchase behaviors can affect overall ad spend, cost per install, and eCPM, which directly impact app earnings. Doubling down on strengthening ads revenue can lay a solid foundation to nurture growth and innovations.
Access to a diverse range of ad sources can improve your app’s revenue potential. Last year, we welcomed Pangle and Vungle to join the existing 200+ demand-side platforms which include Google Ads and Display & Video 360. We’ll continue to introduce more throughout 2023.
Along with access to strong demand, the flexibility to control and optimize how each ad source bids for your inventory will help take ad revenue earning to the next level. You can easily set up real-time bidding, design sophisticated mediation chains, or build a hybrid system to best suit your needs with the AdMob platform.
Mattel163, the name behind the popular card game UNO!TM, chose Google AdMob for ad mediation and later integrated bidding to further scale its revenue. The result was an impressive 12% increase in total ad revenue with the hybrid setup of mediation and bidding.
For app publishers, revenue remains a key business priority with searches for “app monetization” growing over 35% from 2021 to 2022, according to Google Trends. As the evolving privacy landscape and economic uncertainty continue to present challenges for the apps industry, we’re sharing some updates to help publishers increase revenue and grow their businesses with AdMob.
Greater choice through increased inventory access with multiple calls
Based on publisher feedback for more control and flexibility with their monetization strategies, we are updating our previous guidance for app publishers making requests to Google from third-party mediation platforms. For those app publishers using multiple calls, there is no set number of calls for a given impression when accessing demand through AdMob Network or Ad Manager.
Some app publishers regularly use a multiple-call setup on third-party mediation platforms to provide more buying opportunities for their ad space from specific networks like AdMob. Multiple call is the practice where a publisher makes ad requests to the same network multiple times for a single impression opportunity — typically with other networks as part of a waterfall mediation chain.
For many publishers and end users, a single call continues to be the optimal solution. If a publisher wants to test a multiple-call setup, we recommend they begin with reasonable waterfall lengths when testing; excessively large waterfalls of ad requests may not always deliver sustainable performance improvement.
While more ad requests with multi-call setups can increase inventory access, publishers may see trade-offs like higher ad load latency within their apps, affecting the user experience. A complex multiple-call setup also typically requires more hands-on management from the publisher to maintain. Publishers who test multiple call setups should consider a balance of overall user experience, publisher overhead, and publisher revenue.
Advertisers and buyers, including Google Ads and Display & Video 360, may have their own approach to bidding on multiple-call setups and may factor this into their models and buying behavior.
An excessive number of calls may increase query and server loads, which could interfere with a mediation platform’s reliability standards. In such instances of excessive ad requests, AdMob and Ad Manager may take action to prevent system impact.
Improvements to AdMob bidding and revenue optimization
AdMob bidding, our real-time bidding solution from AdMob, continues to help publishers increase their inventory value while streamlining mediation management. In the past year, we’ve accelerated efforts to onboard more buyers with their own SDKs to participate in unified bidding and waterfall mediation. These high-quality buyer integrations help ensure optimal performance in AdMob mediation and drive more revenue for publishers.
We are continuing to provide choice for publishers over how they monetize their mediation setup. For publishers using AdMob or Ad Manager as their mediation decision layer, we are experimenting with increasing the amount of calls allowed within Google-managed waterfalls. We are currently testing this feature in limited access.
AdMob is committed to helping publishers remain competitive and grow their apps businesses. We will continue to incorporate feedback from our publisher partners into our product development.
Gaming can bring people together, which is why we’re committed to making the gaming experience fun and engaging for everyone. You can earn rewards for playing your favorite games on Play, connect with a passionate community of gamers on YouTube, discover new titles you’ll love through Ads, and enjoy secure, seamless gameplay powered by Cloud.
This week at the Google for Games Developer Summit, we unveiled a suite of new tools and product features for developers and gamers. With these updates, developers can take their games to the next level so players like you can experience even more immersive worlds and have new ways to interact with your favorite titles. Here’s a look at what’s new.
1. Play Pass gets even better
Starting today, Google Play Pass subscribers in select markets will receive in-game items and discounts on popular games like EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, MONOPOLY GO! and Roblox. This is offered in addition to our current catalog of over 1,000 ad-free games and apps, so you get even more value at the same monthly price
My friend hopped on the Studio Ghibli bandwagon last week, changing his WhatsApp profile picture to his anime likeness. I guess he wants his contacts to think that he’s being creative, but I’m convinced it’s because it’s a more flattering depiction of him. Still, I’ve been as impressed as everyone else with this latest ChatGPT evolution and wanted to see if it could turn me into a Muppet. It seemed a fun idea, and unlike my friend, no one can accuse me of using a Muppet likeness to make myself look more appealing.
I tried it out, and once I saw the results, I knew I had to share them here.
Why a Muppet?
I can’t pretend it’s my lifelong dream to be immortalized as a Muppet — I would have preferred to make a name playing in the FIFA World Cup final. That said, I love the Muppets as much as the next millennial. They were a mainstay of my childhood, and the holidays aren’t complete without an annual viewing of A Muppet’s Christmas Carol.
But I was more curious than anything. The recent viral craze of turning every photo and meme into a Studio Ghibli-style anime cartoon was triggered by Sam Altman’s announcement of the new GPT-4o-powered image generation tool. As much as I enjoyed the results, they didn’t seem to be too much of a challenge for the AI. It was creating a fairly true-to-life but simpler version of the image.
A Muppet seems to me that it would be a better test for the LLM. Not only are Muppets real (by which I mean they have a physical presence in the real world — I’m not five years old,) but they’re also much more open to interpretation. They have exaggerated features, come in different colors, and their physical characteristics can be defined by things like their personalities or jobs. There’s definitely more scope for interpretation than an anime copy.
Paint me like one of your French Muppets
I gave the above picture of me holding a cute bird (I’m the one on the left before you ask) to ChatGPT Plus with the simple prompt of “Make me a Muppet.” Sure enough, the image in the center is what it spat out after some processing time, and it’s Muppet Matt.
I was impressed. I mean, I’m quite an indistinct Muppet, but then I’m a fairly indistinct guy in terms of features, so I don’t know why I would expect anything else.
I’m quite an indistinct Muppet.
You will have noticed that it doesn’t look quite right. In particular, the hand looks too human, as Muppets tend to only have four fingers on each hand. Not only does Muppet Matt have five, but he also has fingernails. Perhaps disturbed, the bird has also switched direction. Still, not bad for a first run.
I gave ChatGPT a chance to rectify this with the prompt, “Can you make the hands look more like Muppet hands?”
This was a bit of an error on my part. I shouldn’t have pluralized because only one of my hands is visible in the original image. ChatGPT took this to mean both should be visible and gave me a new pose, as shown in the image on the right above. It was closer this time, though. The bird-holding hand still has too many fingers, but they look more like Muppet fingers, and the other now-visible hand only has four.
Is ChatGPT consistent in Muppet-making?
My next question was a philosophical one. I might now have a Muppet likeness, but is that the definitive Matt Muppet? Are my characteristics such that whatever image I use, will I always be that particular character? Or, are Muppet alter egos like snowflakes, and no two creations are alike?
To find out, I repeated the request for two more images. The one above is me on a recent trip to New York, and it would let me see how ChatGPT did in making a Muppet from a selfie. The one below is me driving, with the AI required to produce a Muppet in profile and with hands in use.
It’s certainly consistent. Muppet Matt’s features don’t seem to change much, which includes the human-esque fingers. A hint of a smile was detected in the original NYC picture, leading to a broad smile on my puppet counterpart, but the driving focus was carried over to the Muppet in the below example. If you look closely, you might also observe that Muppet Matt drives a lot slower than I do.
What if ChatGPT knew more about me?
In keeping with Jim Henson’s vision, I wondered if ChatGPT would adjust my Muppet to reflect aspects of my character. When you think of classic Muppets like Oscar the Grouch or Animal, you start to get a feel for their personality just by looking at them. I was curious if ChatGPT would attempt to reflect anything about me in my features or attire.
To do this, I fed the AI an image of me in front of a blank background. I first asked it to make me into a Muppet in the same way as the previous requests, and the center image below came out as expected. I then gave it the prompt, “How might you adjust the image if the Muppet was a British writer with a happy demeanor?”
ChatGPT didn’t take the bait. I wondered if it might adjust my puppet with some stereotypes, such as a Union Jack shirt for a Brit or some glasses to signify a writer. Instead, the right image shows it stayed true to Muppet Matt’s features but reflected his happy demeanor with a big grin.
I could explore these puppetish possibilities all day, but it’s a bit of a time-sink. Besides, I might better spend my time projecting myself into other childhood TV favorites. I bet I’d look pretty cool as a Transformer or a Ninja Turtle.
Have you been as impressed as I have with the new GPT-4o image generator? Drop a vote in the poll below, and feel free to let us know about your own experience in the comments.
Have you tried the new ChatGPT image generation tool?
We’re also introducing a series of enhancements to the AdMob mediation platform to amplify revenue impact for app publishers. First, we’re making new real-time bidding buyers available in AdMob. Unity Ads Network and ironSource Ads will soon be able to bid on publisher inventory available with AdMob.
We’ll also be releasing an upgraded mediation toolkit to help improve your ad operations. For publishers implementing a hybrid monetization strategy, AdMob’s mediation segmentation feature can tailor ad experiences based on different user behaviors. For example, you will be able to customize mediation settings like price floors, to ensure you’re optimizing for ads interactions for those less likely to purchase in-app content. And, for publishers who experiment with multiple mediation setups, AdMob’s improved A/B testing tool will deliver results in days, alongside reporting visuals and metrics. AdMob mediation segmentation and improved A/B testing are coming to beta soon.
In addition to an optimal mediation strategy, an elevated ad experience can bring even more player engagement and lifetime value. Now with immersive in-game ads, publishers will be able to reimagine the in-game ad experience and display an ad that blends naturally into game environments. It works across a spectrum of game genres, with ample placement opportunities such as intermission breaks, level progressions and more.
There isn’t a Garmin fitness tracker review that goes by that I don’t talk about how much I appreciate Garmin’s robust companion app. In fact, I usually talk about it as a comparison point when reviewing other brands as well. Garmin Connect Plus introduces a broad range of new features to the already excellent app, as well as a subscription fee, and while I’m not thrilled about the latter, I do like the suped-up app experience.
How to activate Garmin Connect Plus
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Garmin Connect Plus takes the brand’s fitness tracking up a notch with personalized insights, customizable dashboards, added safety features, and more. However, these upgrades come at an additional $6.99 per month (or $69.99 annually). Fortunately, none of the existing features are locked behind the new paywall. If the new tools don’t catch your eye, you can continue using everything you love about Garmin Connect for free.
You can also try out Connect Plus before committing, thanks to a 30-day free trial. Just access the service through the regular Garmin Connect app, and subscribe to unlock all the premium features. As always, Garmin’s ecosystem is available to both Android and iOS users.
While Garmin has offered paid services before, this is the first time they’ve added a subscription fee to their core features. While I’m glad the basics remain free, I do wish they’d offer a longer trial period for the premium tools. A month isn’t enough to fully judge whether these upgrades are worth the extra cost, especially considering the price of Garmin trackers and smartwatches. Even Apple offers a three-month trial of Fitness Plus before asking users to fork over cash.
Garmin Connect Plus features
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
I was cautiously excited about Garmin Connect Plus from the moment it launched and have since given the new features a try. Though not all the features feel completely refined, I am happy overall with the added value each brings to my training experience.
Active Intelligence powered by AI AI is all the rage in wearables, and for good reason; these tools have a ton of potential. Garmin’s model, dubbed Active Intelligence (because AI by AI isn’t redundant…) uses your health and activity data to offer suggestions, and over time, learns from your data to get better at tailoring tips to your goals. However, it still feels a bit basic and isn’t always super relevant. AI is still in beta, so I’m hoping it’ll improve with more time, but right now, it’s not as powerful as it could be.
Performance Dashboard A web-based-only feature (so not available on your smartphone), Performance Dashboard is Garmin’s new highly customizable data presentation screen. The dashboard allows users to completely tailor activity reports, with more than 100 elements to play around with, so you can build a data screen that matches your priorities. The tool also produces new charts and graphs leveraging the same accurate data into a more digestible form. I appreciate how the dashboard highlights comparisons and makes it easier for me to track my progress long term.
Live Activity Garmin’s new Live Activity feature is a cool addition, letting you send real-time workout stats from your watch to your phone. It works indoors during structured, non-GPS workouts, and it’s especially useful for gym, strength, or core workouts where checking your watch mid-set can be a hassle. I really like it for rowing because I can set my phone up on a stand in front of me. For some structured workouts, you’ll get animations and rep counts and can control the workout from your phone (aka skip burpees). It’s useful for sure, but if I’m honest, doesn’t feel like it should be a paid feature.
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Social features Garmin Connect Plus also introduces new badges and challenges, adding a socially motivating layer to the premium service if that’s what gets you going. Despite the fact that I desperately wanted to be a Boy Scout as a child, I’ve never been one for app badges, so this doesn’t necessarily feel like a deal-breaking addition for me.
Additional Garmin Coach guidance I am a big fan of Garmin’s coaching programs and have long applauded that the service is a free one. According to the company, Garmin Connect Plus enhances Garmin Coach with exclusive content and guidance, but I haven’t yet encountered a difference in my experience. My guess is that you need to start a new program and use it long enough for the new features to kick on.
LiveTrack Garmin’s updated LiveTrack feature is another solid upgrade for sharing your activities. Now, when you start a workout, followers get notified via text instead of email, which feels more immediate. You also get a dedicated LiveTrack profile page that automatically updates with your activities, plus the ability to customize your privacy settings and URL. While it’s a useful feature, I always feel weird about safety features being commodified. I would have liked to see Garmin make these improvements free for all.
Conclusion: Is this worth it?
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Overall, Garmin Connect Plus offers solid upgrades, but whether it’s worth the $6.99 per month depends on how much you value the extra features. The enhanced analysis, customizable dashboards, and added safety tools are great for serious athletes, but some features could use refinement. For example, the personalized insights are a nice touch but not as useful as I expected. That said, the potential is there, and Garmin consistently delivers exceptional training tools.
It’s hard to ignore the trend of more apps moving toward subscriptions, which is a bit disappointing. Before committing, I’d recommend testing it out with a free trial. While you’re at it, remember that other premium apps, like Strava, offer robust tool kits for athletes as well, so it’s worth comparing what’s available. Personally, I’m already invested in the Garmin ecosystem. Garmin Connect Plus just feels like a logical next step for me. If you’d prefer to keep your wallet closed, the free version still offers plenty of value.
Another solution to help you unlock the value of first-party data is app analytics connection. It links your first-party analytics data like user activity and purchase events to publisher first-party ID to further enhance ad personalization. App analytics connection is fully integrated with Google Analytics for Firebase.
Publishers who have been testing these first-party data solutions are excited about the impact they’ve seen.
“We were particularly interested in user insight surveys, which can help us generate first-party data while players are engaging with our games to personalize ad serving in the absence of third-party tracking IDs. We’re excited about AdMob’s commitment and progress in developing first-party data solutions. It gives us confidence that they will continue to build durable solutions to help advance our monetization strategy in the long run.”
— Kiel LeBaron, Sr. Director, Ad Monetization, Jam City
“It’s been a core focus of my team to identify ways to unlock new revenue growth with less reliance on third-party identifiers. I’m excited about the early results of AdMob’s simple and automatic solutions like app analytics connection and user insight surveys, which are enabling me to start using a first-party data strategy on AdMob to boost my revenue potential.”
— Diogo Branco, Head of Ads Monetization, MiniClip
User insight surveys and app analytics connection are currently in beta and will be available to more AdMob publishers in the near future. Reach out to your account manager to learn more or follow AdMob channels to get the latest information.
