[📚] Documentation Issue: GoogleIDFASupport is obsolete

[kesha-antonov]

Documentation Feedback

Hi,

here https://rnfirebase.io/analytics/usage/installation/ios#device-identification GoogleIDFASupport is mentioned that it should be linked. But link on the same page follow to this page https://support.google.com/firebase/answer/6318039 where this pod is not mentioned. And really, I can't find info on firebase website that this pod should be linked. Only AdSupport.framework. Seems like we should remove instruction that GoogleIDFASupport should be linked. What do you think?

[mikehardy]

The documentation as is, is correct. No change is needed.
If you want IDFA support for more detailed analytics, you link that pod.
If you do not want more detailed analytics, you do not link that pod.

[RohovDmytro]

@mikehardy as far as I understand, firebase-analytics included idfa collectiong by default AND if you want to avoid that you can use firebase-analytics without ad id support build. So the docs are indeed obselete, isn't it?

[mikehardy]

@RohovDmytro this one is pretty subtle, if I understand it correctly. I will link to the relevant discussions I'm aware of and if you think I'm wrong in my analysis please link to the exact things that point it out

Here is my understanding:

• By default, firebase analytics includes some ATT symbols but does not directly gather IDFA
  • as described by firebase-ios-sdk staff: Rejection from Apple review team because of Your app implements the App Tracking Transparency framework firebase/firebase-ios-sdk#7736 (comment)
• Firebase analytics will collect and use IDFA if and only if you link GoogleIDFASupport
  • as linked in our doc https://support.google.com/firebase/answer/6318039
  • as documented https://firebase.google.com/support/guides/analytics-adsupport?sjid=1429605320174210781-NA
• Apple was requiring ATT disclosure for IDFA use for symbol existence only, even if unused
  • Discussion: Use Firebase/AnalyticsWithoutAdIdSupport #5223
  • PR: feat(analytics, ATT): allow use of AnalyticsWithoutAdIdSupport pod #5224
• Firebase analytics released a sub-spec that does not even include the symbols, to avoid ATT IDFA disclosure (which is a strict requirement for kid's apps)

So, that means:

• if you want to have extended analytics metrics that use IDFA, you still must link it in as currently documented
• If you have a kids app or want to avoid Apple ATT disclosure requirements for IDFA, you must not link IDFA support in and you need the analytics-no-idfa subspec

Thus I believe our docs are still correct.

The insight is that symbols alone were triggering apple to require ATT disclosure, but symbols aren't enough to actually get IDFA analytics. You still need to link GoogleIDFASupport to get the IDFA analytics.

[Bardiamist]

@mikehardy

Firebase analytics will collect and use IDFA if and only if you link GoogleIDFASupport
as linked in our doc https://support.google.com/firebase/answer/6318039
as documented https://firebase.google.com/support/guides/analytics-adsupport?sjid=1429605320174210781-NA

But in these docs nothing about GoogleIDFASupport. In docs mentioned only AdSupport.framework.

Based on legacy docs: GoogleIDFASupport created for link AdSupport.framework and libAdIdAccess.a.

So now maybe only AdSupport.framework will be enough?

I'd happy to link GoogleIDFASupport as documented but I have the build fail when to build for the sumulator on M1.

Building for 'iOS-simulator', but linking in object file (/Users/bardiamist/Documents/proj/proj-mobile/ios/Pods/GoogleIDFASupport/Libraries/libAdIdAccessLibrary.a[arm64][2](TAGActualAdIdAccess.o)) built for 'iOS'

[mikehardy]

Ask upstream I think, happy to take a PR to update the docs. I analyzed it as well as I could.

[lossen]

Hello. I got the same error
Mac M1 xcode 15
I followed guide by the link https://rnfirebase.io/analytics/usage/installation/ios#device-identification
But build failed with this line pod 'GoogleIDFASupport', '~> 3.14.0'
I see this error

Search path '/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/SDKs/iPhoneSimulator17.2.sdk/usr/lib/swift/Users/user/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/projectname-bcrmcqowlnpsjlfrgauidifzyylw/Build/Products/Debug-iphonesimulator/XCFrameworkIntermediates/GoogleIDFASupport' not found
Library 'AdIdAccessLibrary' not found

When I tried to add libAdIdAccess.a manually to Frameworks, libraries and embedded content
I got this error

Building for 'iOS-simulator', but linking in object file (/Users/anna/projects/projectname/ios/Pods/GoogleIDFASupport/Libraries/libAdIdAccessLibrary.a[arm64][2](TAGActualAdIdAccess.o)) built for 'iOS'
Linker command failed with exit code 1 (use -v to see invocation)

Withoout pod 'GoogleIDFASupport', '~> 3.14.0' build works, but I'm not sure if IDFA will work without it.
So what I'm doing wrong? How to solve these build errors?