“Samsung launched an Ad Blocker for its phones on the Google Play store called Adblock Fast earlier this week,” Ian Morris reports for Forbes. “Google has since pulled the app, claiming that it’s in breach of the developer agreement. Specifically section 4.4, which prevents apps from messing with third-party services.”
“The app had, apparently, reached some 50,000 downloads before Google flipped the switch,” Morris reports. “In the past Google has pulled other ad blockers from Google Play. In 2013 Google went on a little mission, removing AdBlock Plus from the store along with some other, similar, products. Although in 2015 AdBlock Plus was able to get back into the Play store and is still there.”
“The reason Ablock Plus has survived is that Google does allow ad blockers if they are within their own, self-contained browser. So what was it about this app that didn’t qualify for the exception, given that it was only accessible through Samsung’s browser and couldn’t affect either Android’s OEM app, or Google’s Chrome,” Morris reports. “The simplest solution would be for Samsung to simply put its own browser into the Google Play store, with Adblock Fast built-in. As the next version of Samsung’s phones rolls out it can simply build the ad blocker into its version of Android. Google can’t do anything to stop that, although it’s unlikely to reduce tensions between the two companies.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Friction in the land of Fragmandroid, where “open” isn’t really open at all.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
There is no honor among thieves!
Gaagbet is back under $700 a share. Oh the mighty fall fast.
Maybe investors are finally realizing the recent good quarter at Google was primarily due to a one time tax situation? If ever a company was at an undeserved high about to drop precipitously it’s Gag-A-Maggot Google.
Very happy to see Gag-ro-bet lose most valuable company status and continue to drop severely!
Unbelievable the media barely says anything about Gag-ro-bet losing its status so quickly!
I’m sorry, I should care about this why?
I can’t imagine why an advertising firm (Google) wants to prevent companies from blocking ads.
But the benefit of Android is that you can get it elsewhere. There are other stores. You can even sideload. Who cares what Google thinks, or Samsung for that matter, they can’t block a program.
Sorry MDN, your take is BS. There are multiple stores available on Android. You can even download an app from a developer’s website. Heck you can even be emailed an app and install it. That’s what “open” looks like.
Open always wins!
L O L ! !
google allows virus, malware, but doesn’t allow Ad-blockers?
google means business.. but their business only.
This is a GREAT way for Google to drive Android victims into OTHER Android stores where they can gather up and infect themselves with even MORE MALWARE!
Well done Google!
Now that! makes sense! Screw Google, not every other source is a malware nest.
This deserves a follow up. This is Google looking after their interests over those of their user’s. Screw Google twice!
So now who’s living in a walled garden?
iOS.
And apparently Android.
. . . not because they want to wanted to protect their customers, but so they can serve them more ads.
As U said above, you can use the app on any Android device. Google Play is not the only store. In fact, you would only have the Samsung browser if you have a Samsung phone. Samsung has their own App Store.
As I said above…
So, Samsung is trying to screw over Google who gave them a FREE phone OS to make lots money off of.
Why does that not surprise me?
You’ll block an ad blocker, but you’ll let your operating system hold 98% of all known mobile malware…?
Dafuq, Google?