Google Removes Ad Blocking Android Apps

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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Google made what is sure to be a very unpopular move this week by removing the AdBlock Plus App from the Google Play Store. The move was made because Google holds that AdBlock Plus interferes with services, otherwise known in most circles as advertisements. ;)

This hints that Google could be plotting a similar move for Chrome, and if Adblock Plus violates Google Play guidelines so badly, we can't see why it hasn't already - unless the firm simply fears the rage that would ensue.
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I downloaded Adblock Plus (non-root WiFi ad blocking) if anyone wants me to back it up with AppMonster and upload it to MediaFire.
 
Doesn't affect me as I know how to get around it. I do think it is a bit of a dick move by google, though I understand it. While I doubt they would be dumb enough to do it in chrome, rest assured it would result in chrome instantly getting uninstalled. I don't deal with ads, I don't care about them. I "Choose" which websites I allow to advertise. Websites like this that I support I have no problem disabling it. General websites, no thanks.
 
Interesting, this prompted me to double check my icon for this site. Somehow my exemptions got reset and I was blocking ads..meh Sorry about that. Fixed again. :eek:
 
What got even more strange was that the Android subreddit started banning people who linked to the free APKs that were removed from the Play store. Someone requested AdFree (root, hosts file updater) and I've been banned from there for reasons of "piracy." Several others found their posts deleted or accounts banned, too.
 
Google won't yoink adblockers from Chrome because there's more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to adblocking on a desktop.

I still have my AdFree in TiBackup...and the device dev team I'm on still intends to keep AdFree in our ROM(s) for the visible future.
 
cdr_74_premium said:
Well, they need the ad revenue to get something out of Android...
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Why does Google not allow Cyanogenmod and other to cook in gApps? I'd wager my beer in front of me that they get licensing from carriers for gApps.
 
Skripka said:
Why does Google not allow Cyanogenmod and other to cook in gApps? I'd wager my beer in front of me that they get licensing from carriers for gApps.
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They don't "cook" in the gapps because gapps are not part of AOSP. gapps are apps by google that run on android, they are not part of android itself. That is why they provide them seperately.
 
Skripka said:
Why does Google not allow Cyanogenmod and other to cook in gApps? I'd wager my beer in front of me that they get licensing from carriers for gApps.
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Because gApps is not open source and is the carrot Google uses to keep OEMs in line. Only ROMs that pass Google's compatibility tests and stuff are eligible to get gApps. You'd lose that wager, btw, so you probably want to take it back before someone takes your beer.

FYI, Google is actually very tolerant of CyanogenMod here. Technically CM is not authorized to redistribute gApps at all, yet they do and Google has allowed that. Google only ever asked them not to include it in the ROM, but haven't expressed any complaint about re-distributing it.

cdr_74_premium said:
Well, they need the ad revenue to get something out of Android...
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This move actually protects the ad revenue of 3rd party developers, not of Google. The ad blocking apps were messing with the revenue source of a very large portion of Android apps, which tend to be ad supported.
 
kllrnohj said:
This move actually protects the ad revenue of 3rd party developers, not of Google. The ad blocking apps were messing with the revenue source of a very large portion of Android apps, which tend to be ad supported.
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While I agree with you, so many developers just abuse the "ad supported" to the point that it's ridic. If an app is worth it, I fork over the $1 or $2 it's going to cost me.to get the paid version. Honestly, like countless people have said, it's not "that big" a deal but still annoying. Just because you give something "for free" doesn't mean that the experience with your app shouldn't be good.
 
techrat said:
What got even more strange was that the Android subreddit started banning people who linked to the free APKs that were removed from the Play store. Someone requested AdFree (root, hosts file updater) and I've been banned from there for reasons of "piracy." Several others found their posts deleted or accounts banned, too.
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Remember: unless you use your software exactly in the manner prescribed we prescribe, you're an evil despicable software pirate.
 
Interesting that folks say everything on the internet should be free because ad revenue should cover the expenses of everything ... but then they argue the merits of ad blockers ... hard to have your cake and eat it too ;)
 
kllrnohj said:
FYI, Google is actually very tolerant of CyanogenMod here. Technically CM is not authorized to redistribute gApps at all, yet they do and Google has allowed that. Google only ever asked them not to include it in the ROM, but haven't expressed any complaint about re-distributing it.
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They know better than to piss off / alienate an important part of their user base.
 
kbrickley said:
Interesting that folks say everything on the internet should be free because ad revenue should cover the expenses of everything ... but then they argue the merits of ad blockers ... hard to have your cake and eat it too ;)
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Interesting that folks say that everything MUST be paid for via advertising ... but then it becomes such a common means of infection ... hard to have your cake and eat it too ;)

This causes a need for an "update" to fix some new vulnerability/hack vector.

Meanwhile, if I develop something originally meant for my personal use and offer it for free (for those that just might get something out of it), I get pushed out of the mainstream.
 
Skripka said:
Google won't yoink adblockers from Chrome because there's more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to adblocking on a desktop.

I still have my AdFree in TiBackup...and the device dev team I'm on still intends to keep AdFree in our ROM(s) for the visible future.
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Yeah. Like changing browsers :)
 
Android is an open platform and Google would never censor non-malicious apps from Google Play. The great thing about Android that puts it head and shoulders above iOS is that the company backing it is incapable of doing evil. Google ensures everything is totally open for the community to do whatever it wants to with the products, including blocking advertisements act as a revenue source so there is clearly no incentive and this is just a misinformation smear effort by Apple competition to paint Google in a nefarious light. Please pay no attention to it. Go back to buying apps like good little gSheep and stop mistrusting us by opening Google+ accounts that don't use your real name. We can, thanks to all we already know about you, tell what you're doing.
 
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