Adblock Browser comes to iOS, promises to strip ads, tracking cookies from Web
Adblock Plus developer Eyeo returned to the mobile fray on Tuesday with the launch of Adblock Browser for iOS and Android, enabling people to cut out most or all ad traffic from the Web.
The iOS app, which is free and runs on any device with iOS 8.0 or later, is said to block both ads and tracking cookies. By default it only blocks intrusive ads, but it can be set to halt everything if necessary. People concerned about technical problems or supporting a webpage financially can choose to whitelist specific sites.
As a consequence of blocking ads, Eyeo claims that the app can stop malware, cut bandwidth use in half, and improve battery life by as much as 23 percent.
The developer is separately promising smoother scrolling than other browsers, and better keyboard and bookmarking functions.
Eyeo first attempted to enter the mobile world in 2013 with an Android app, but Google ultimately pulled it from the Play Store.
Apple is on the verge of releasing iOS 9, which will have native support for content-blocking extensions. The change has caused concern among many content publishers, who are already coping with the impact of desktop ad blockers on their revenue. A recent estimate suggested that publishers might collectively miss out on $21.8 billion in 2015, and $41.4 billion in 2016.
The iOS app, which is free and runs on any device with iOS 8.0 or later, is said to block both ads and tracking cookies. By default it only blocks intrusive ads, but it can be set to halt everything if necessary. People concerned about technical problems or supporting a webpage financially can choose to whitelist specific sites.
As a consequence of blocking ads, Eyeo claims that the app can stop malware, cut bandwidth use in half, and improve battery life by as much as 23 percent.
The developer is separately promising smoother scrolling than other browsers, and better keyboard and bookmarking functions.
Eyeo first attempted to enter the mobile world in 2013 with an Android app, but Google ultimately pulled it from the Play Store.
Apple is on the verge of releasing iOS 9, which will have native support for content-blocking extensions. The change has caused concern among many content publishers, who are already coping with the impact of desktop ad blockers on their revenue. A recent estimate suggested that publishers might collectively miss out on $21.8 billion in 2015, and $41.4 billion in 2016.
Comments
I vote for anything that can hurt them as long as they collect personal information.
Is this just for the people who can’t update to iOS 9? I don’t get why they’d spend time making this otherwise.
Is this just for the people who can’t update to iOS 9? I don’t get why they’d spend time making this otherwise.
So true - especially with links launching in Safari by default.
Maybe they'll have an extension (for iOS 9) as well, but why waste development effort on something like this...
Is this just for the people who can’t update to iOS 9? I don’t get why they’d spend time making this otherwise.
Maybe trying to get a jump on it? And get some free advertising in the process (as is evident with an article like this)?
More importantly, is this a good company, with a well-known product? I'd love to install something like this -- especially on my iPad -- yesterday.
I heard and read wonderful things about Ghostery, so I installed it on my Mac. Best piece of software ever!
It hasn't been widely reported but iOS 9 Content Blockers only work on 64-bit class iDevices, at least according to Rene Ritchie. So anything older will probably need to use this.
It hasn't been widely reported but iOS 9 Content Blockers only work on 64-bit class iDevices, at least according to Rene Ritchie. So anything older will probably need to use this.
That's a bit odd, don't you think? Unless iOS 9 itself is only for 64-bit devices, why would some of its basic functionality be any different?!
There are browsers on iOS which support ads blocking already. E.g. Mercury browser.
Moreover, the iOS 9 will presumably allow to build the ad-bloking ad-on directly for Safari.
So, I don't really see the point of just another browser for iOS.
It already is different. All the Metal acceleration is 64-bit only as well. Most of the speed improvements in El Cap are for newer Macs only. I can check the developer library later to confirm but RR is a pretty good source.
That's a bit odd, don't you think? Unless iOS 9 itself is only for 64-bit devices, why would some of its basic functionality be any different?!
iOS 9 isn't only for 64-bit devices (http://www.apple.com/ios/ios9-preview/, iPhone 4s and later, iPad 2 and later), but as always, not all functionality is available on all devices. Sometimes due to processor, memory or other (assumed/unknown) limitations
It already is different. All the Metal acceleration is 64-bit only as well. Most of the speed improvements in El Cap are for newer Macs only. I can check the developer library later to confirm but RR is a pretty good source.
All of the developer infrastructure for Force Touch also requires having a 64-bit application. I'm guessing that Apple has just stopped testing all of the new features they add on 32-bit systems.
Is this just for the people who can’t update to iOS 9? I don’t get why they’d spend time making this otherwise.
Anything wrong with using more than one? Do you use several on your Mac?
I use two, not exactly sure how effectively, though.
Begun, this blocking war, has.
Been using this for ages, works pretty well too.
https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/ad-blocker-browser-for-idevices/id537774578?mt=8
Is this just for the people who can’t update to iOS 9? I don’t get why they’d spend time making this otherwise.
It works pretty well. I've been using it since yesterday.
works well on this site.
I've had ad-blocking in Safari since at least iOS 6 or so.
It's probably too tedious for most folks, but I find that a majority of websites still function nearly perfectly. At least for my purposes. It blocks all ads, and websites are insanely fast (both because it's not loading ads, and site extras I don't use), and my iPhone is ultra-secure as a result.
The trick is to turn off JavaScript:
Go to Settings > Safari > Advanced > JavaScript = off
Granted, it sometimes does get tedious to have to turn it on for those sites that require it. And then remember to turn it off again.
I use two, not exactly sure how effectively, though.
I use Safari for everything and Tor once in a blue moon when I don’t feel safe somewhere.
I use Safari in Windows, even. Even Safari 5 is better than anything over there.