8 ms·

At least Android can't stop you from installing ad blockers.

by MomoXenosaga 4y ago

pretext-1 4y ago
iOS natively supports content blockers and Safari extensions.
- roflc0ptic 4y ago
  Super misleading. You can block websites manually, but you can’t add an adblocker to Chrome - so if you want an ad free experience, then you’re forced to use safari, a historically subpar browser - but worse, it’s vendor lock in. If this article is true, this is some terrifically anti competitive behavior
  - doublepg23 4y ago
    I believe that’s Chrome’s decision - like on Android. I’m using Firefox Focus with its native Content Blocker.
  - omgrusrs 4y ago
    All browsers on iOS are merely rebranded safari. No such thing as a subpar browser IMO, just subpar websites that require browser features no one should need.
    - samatman 4y ago
      I'll take the one with about a 1/4 the energy usage and proper tail calls in Javascript. Think those are related? I think they are. Who knows. I just respect tail call elimination.
  - ben-schaaf 4y ago
    Chrome on iOS uses the same browser engine as safari; it's vendor lock in regardless of what you do.
- cma 4y ago
  Can you play a YouTube video in the background with no ads with that, like Firefox mobile?
- pinewurst 4y ago
  “Content blockers” are merely a relatively short list of patterns that Safari itself will exclude. It’s nothing like uBlock Origin in power and flexibility and lets far too much through.
consumer451 4y ago
I am able to use Firefox Focus to block ads in Safari on iOS. I’ve not had an Android for a while. What additional ad blocking features would I have on Android these days?
- vorpalhex 4y ago
  ublock origin on firefox
- mumblemumble 4y ago
  I would guess that the argument is that, on Android, you always have the option of rooting your phone or installing an alternative OS. So Google is a bit more limited than Apple is in how hard they can clamp down. Personally, I don't know that that's true. It may be easier for Apple to do it because the ecosystem is more vertically integrated. But that's a coordination problem, not a technical one. I don't think there's a single major player in the Android ecosystem who wouldn't be willing to go along with a plan to lock things down just as far as laws will allow.
  - doublepg23 4y ago
    Always? I was under the impression it’s taking a lot longer for phones to get rooted.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
  - consumer451 4y ago
    I should have specified a non-rooted phone. Years ago I used to root androids, install cyanogenmod or similar, and sell them locally. People would pay a premium for that. But I am no longer in the camp where I want a rooted phone as my daily driver. I am also weary of giving "random" third parties access to my browsing. I think that my least bad option on iOS is Mullvad, with all blocking turned on. But the bad part there is no browser integration to whitelist sites. I wonder if it would be possible for Mullvad to present their system as an ad-blocker to Safari, if you are running Mullvad VPN.
BbzzbB 4y ago
They sure could rip the whole extension store from default Chrome to make sure you don't get one without going the extra step (which like 90%[0] don't) of getting Firefox. 0: https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/mobile/worldwide https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/mobile/world...
stjohnswarts 4y ago
I mean they could by locking down the platform more like Apple does...
illiac786 4y ago
You can install ad blockers for safari in iOS. For system-wide, I recommend using an adblocking Public DNS server, like AdGuard.

At least Android can't stop you from installing ad blockers.

pretext-1 4y ago

iOS natively supports content blockers and Safari extensions.

roflc0ptic 4y ago
Super misleading. You can block websites manually, but you can’t add an adblocker to Chrome - so if you want an ad free experience, then you’re forced to use safari, a historically subpar browser - but worse, it’s vendor lock in. If this article is true, this is some terrifically anti competitive behavior
- doublepg23 4y ago
  I believe that’s Chrome’s decision - like on Android. I’m using Firefox Focus with its native Content Blocker.
- omgrusrs 4y ago
  All browsers on iOS are merely rebranded safari. No such thing as a subpar browser IMO, just subpar websites that require browser features no one should need.
  - samatman 4y ago
    I'll take the one with about a 1/4 the energy usage and proper tail calls in Javascript. Think those are related? I think they are. Who knows. I just respect tail call elimination.
- ben-schaaf 4y ago
  Chrome on iOS uses the same browser engine as safari; it's vendor lock in regardless of what you do.
cma 4y ago
Can you play a YouTube video in the background with no ads with that, like Firefox mobile?
pinewurst 4y ago
“Content blockers” are merely a relatively short list of patterns that Safari itself will exclude. It’s nothing like uBlock Origin in power and flexibility and lets far too much through.

consumer451 4y ago

I am able to use Firefox Focus to block ads in Safari on iOS. I’ve not had an Android for a while. What additional ad blocking features would I have on Android these days?

vorpalhex 4y ago
ublock origin on firefox
mumblemumble 4y ago
I would guess that the argument is that, on Android, you always have the option of rooting your phone or installing an alternative OS. So Google is a bit more limited than Apple is in how hard they can clamp down. Personally, I don't know that that's true. It may be easier for Apple to do it because the ecosystem is more vertically integrated. But that's a coordination problem, not a technical one. I don't think there's a single major player in the Android ecosystem who wouldn't be willing to go along with a plan to lock things down just as far as laws will allow.
- doublepg23 4y ago
  Always? I was under the impression it’s taking a lot longer for phones to get rooted.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- consumer451 4y ago
  I should have specified a non-rooted phone. Years ago I used to root androids, install cyanogenmod or similar, and sell them locally. People would pay a premium for that. But I am no longer in the camp where I want a rooted phone as my daily driver. I am also weary of giving "random" third parties access to my browsing. I think that my least bad option on iOS is Mullvad, with all blocking turned on. But the bad part there is no browser integration to whitelist sites. I wonder if it would be possible for Mullvad to present their system as an ad-blocker to Safari, if you are running Mullvad VPN.

BbzzbB 4y ago

They sure could rip the whole extension store from default Chrome to make sure you don't get one without going the extra step (which like 90%[0] don't) of getting Firefox. 0: https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/mobile/worldwide https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/mobile/world...

stjohnswarts 4y ago

I mean they could by locking down the platform more like Apple does...

illiac786 4y ago

You can install ad blockers for safari in iOS. For system-wide, I recommend using an adblocking Public DNS server, like AdGuard.