Adblock Plus has launched its own mobile web browser capable of blocking ads that may ruin your online experience.
The open source AdBlock Plus is currently in beta and is available for Android devices, with an iOS version in the works. This move means that ad blocking will no longer be limited to desktop browsers.
Ben Williams, communications director for Adblock Plus creator Eyeo, said the company will launch the full version of the web browser in July or August, according to Forbes.
However, it is still unclear if Google will allow its publication in the Play store, so users will have to sideload it, as is the case with the existing extension app.
Adblock Plus explained at the launch that the absence from the Play store is part of the reason for making a separate app, The Inquirer reported. The company added that the extension was removed for "interference with another service or product," making it "practically invisible to the vast majority of mobile users." This is the same reason Google Play banned all ad-blocking software in 2013.
Users can go to the "Acceptable Ads" tab to set the number and type of ads blocked, according to MediaPost. The browser's default settings will automatically block pop-up and pre-roll video ads - which are generally considered aggravating. However, less intrusive ads, such as those that do not block the page's content and those that use static images, will still appear.
