Let’s talk about Huawei Ads: Developers, Smartphone Users, System Level?

Huawei has recently started to rollout a new version update for Huawei Mobile Services app, which also brings HMS Core 4.0 libraries and support for different services.

With the new HMS Core 4.0, the company also introduced the new Ads policy and privacy statement about the “Huawei Ads” platform, which we’ve mentioned in our app update article here.

For Developers:

With HMS Core 4.0, Huawei introduced the Huawei Ads platform as new monetization support for developers to integrate advertisements on their apps via open advertising identifier (OAID) to deliver personalized ads and monetize traffic on Huawei devices.

An OAID is a non-permanent device identifier. Developers can use the OAID to provide personalized ads for users while protecting their privacy. Third-party tracking platforms can use the OAID to provide conversion attribution analysis for advertisers.

System-level Ads for smartphone users?

We’ve recently seen some articles flowing over the web about “Huawei pushing system-level advertisement” and we thought it’s time clear some myths.

Let’s take a look at the two terms of ads in smartphones:

1. For app developers, it’s a way to earn money by showing ads to their apps, used by smartphone users.
2. For smartphone users, Personalised ads let users decide whether they want to see ads based on their overall online activity or less relevant ads.

In both cases, users must have to see ads if a developer decides to show ads on their third party or system apps and this is not related to the “system-level ads“. However, a smartphone maker is free to do whatever it wants but Huawei doesn’t seem to hijack system UI with its ads.

In Huawei’s case:

The new HMS 4.0 settings introduces Ad-ID statics which is a term related to the identity of your smartphone and the option of “Personalized Ads” for users based ads experience, both of these options are very similar to Google Mobile Services enabled phone. Both options can be found in the settings.

AD-ID Statics:

When enabled, your information will be used to evaluate and improve the performance of Huawei’s advertising identifiers, which the user can choose to opt-out but this option cannot be found at the moment in the Settings > Privacy > Ads and privacy.

Personalised Ads:

When enabled, your personal data will be used to provide you with more relevant ads in HMS services and third-party apps via the Huawei Ads platform. Users can also select to turn off this option via Settings > Privacy > Ads and privacy.

Ads Personalisation controls the Huawei ads you see when you’re signed in to your Huawei account. It applies to all browsers and devices where Huawei knows you’re signed in. This is how it works:

When Ads Personalisation on: Huawei will use the information in your Huawei Account to personalize the ads that you see both on Huawei services, online and on apps that partner with Huawei to show ads.

When Ads Personalisation off: Huawei will not use your information to personalise ads. Ads may still be based on information such as the content of the website or app that you’re viewing, or your general location.

If you’ve any corrections for this article let us know in the comment below.