We are thrilled to announce the Google Mobile Ads (GMA) Next-Gen SDK for Android is now officially available for Unity developers.

Upgrading to GMA Next-Gen SDK for Android offers the following benefits:

• Faster performance:
  • Up to 27% faster ad request latency for banner ads than the previous version.
  • Smaller size on device than the previous SDK.
  • Starts in the background to minimize impact on app startup.
• Enhanced stability: GMA Next-Gen SDK removes remote procedure calls (RPCs), which reduces latency and decreases crash risk due to process communication failures.
• Supports all ad formats: Supports all existing Google Mobile Ads formats. For details, see Select an ad format.
• The future of Android ads with AdMob: All new development for Android exclusively targets the Next-Gen SDK

One-click upgrade with GMA Unity plugin 11.1.0

GMA Unity plugin version 11.1.0 added a built-in setting to upgrade in GMA Next-Gen SDK instantly:

1. Navigate to Assets > Google Mobile Ads > Settings within the Unity Editor.
2. Locate the "Switch Google Mobile Ads Android architecture" setting and select "Upgrade to the GMA Next-Gen SDK".

That's all it takes! Your Android builds are now powered by the Next-Gen SDK.

To get started with the Next-Gen SDK, read the Install GMA Next-Gen SDK developer guide. To comment on this blog post or engage with fellow developers, join the "Google Advertising and Measurement Community" Discord server and share your thoughts on the #gma-next-gen-sdk channel.

 - Nicholas Ventimiglia, Mobile Ads Developer Relations