[zenovision]

So, my next smartphone will be iPhone, even if I prefer open source. AdBlockers are just too important. Not only they protect your privacy, but they also stop some malware programs that use ads for spreading. And don't Google & Amazon already make 30% from app sales?

[ameshkov]

Hurry not, Apple did the very same thing last year: https://9to5mac.com/2017/07/15/apple-reportedly-shifts-app-s...

[dang]

We've changed the title above to the relevant phrase from the article, which mentions both Google and Apple.

(Submitted title was 'Amazon follows Google and bans system-wide ad blockers on their AppStore'.)

[tinus_hn]

That’s not about adblocking but about using vpns for a purpose that is not a virtual private network. The general adblock system works in Safari as well as other apps that use web views though.

[NeutronStar]

Applefans forgetting that Apple does as much BS are the best!

[pwg]

Don't run off so quickly.

You can install either:

DNS666: https://f-droid.org/packages/org.jak_linux.dns66/

or

Blokada: https://f-droid.org/packages/org.blokada.alarm/

from the F-Droid store: https://f-droid.org/en/

And achieve system wide ad blocking, without worrying about Google's selfish policies.

[Max_aaa]

I personally use AdAway https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.adaway/

It is a simpler design and works great. It works by adding mapping to your hosts file.

[burger_moon]

Which of these do you prefer? I used fdroid but haven't installed a system ad blocker. I just use firefox focus which does a good job of preventing trackers and most ads but it's not perfect.

[pranalli]

Thank you for referring me to these. I went with Blokada and had no idea these existed, very happy!

[cyberpip]

Check out https://blokada.org/index.html . Creates a VPN tunnel for your traffic and routes through a host file. Even let's you set name servers. Can't do that on iPhone necessarily. Root not required!

[Tijdreiziger]

To add to this, because it's not immediately clear from your comment, the VPN tunnel runs locally on your phone.

[hikarudo]

I'd never heard of blockada, just installed it and it seems to work great! Thanks!

[pranalli]

Thank you for referring me to this!

[laGrenouille]

The problem is that on an iPhone you are locked into those applications in the Apple App store (unless you jailbreak). On an Android device, you can install 3rd party applications directly. AdGuard, for example, has a stand alone method for direct downloads.

[Operyl]

Not entirely, you can sign applications for 7 days at a time without paying. Still an annoyance, though, for some.

Tools for example: http://www.cydiaimpactor.com/

EDIT: Someone thinks I'm wrong, can you explain why? Thanks!

[admax88q]

> AdBlockers are just too important.

I mean you can still install them from F-Droid, especially if you prefer open source.

[jamesb93]

But its incredibly easy to install system wide adblockers on Android. Just get adaway from f-droid.

[saagarjha]

> its incredibly easy to install system wide adblockers on Android

I wouldn't call acquiring root access so that I can install a adblocking app "incredibly easy".

[aftbit]

Apple bans system-wide adblock as well. Mobile Safari ships with adblock IIRC but that doesn't help with all the other random apps that want to show you ads. Meanwhile, despite Google & Amazon's changes, you can still install any adblock you want on an Android device without using a computer or paying for a signing key as you'd need to on an Apple device by just downloading the APK using Chrome and installing it directly. Alternatively, you could install an alternative app store like F-droid and then install & upgrade adblock apps through there.

[dzmien]

I'm confused. Doesn't the article say that Apple similarly prohibits ad blockers from their app store? And besides, installing a "third party" apk on an Android phone is trivial, and there are third party "stores" like F-Droid which offer a myriad of open source apps. I seem to recall that Apple makes the installation of third party apps relatively more difficult. I have not used an iPhone in quite some time, so I feel that I must be missing something.

[UlisesAC4]

You do not have to go that far to that kind of apps, fou can check f-droid or fossdroid for free and opensourcer android apps.

[hendersoon]

Apple also blocks VPN-based adblockers from their appstore, and unlike Android you cannot easily sideload apps on iOS.

There's technically a way to do it, but you need to plug your phone into your computer and re-push them every 7 days, unless you pay $99/year for a developer license. Or jailbreak, of course, which has its own problems.

[gvurrdon]

This is still available on iOS, amongst others:

https://adguard.com/en/adguard-ios-pro/overview.html

Of course, the limits on installing software on one's own device are still a concern.

[s73v3r_]

I believe this is about blocking ad-blockers that work outside of the browser. As in, in apps, which are solely supported by those ads.

[babaganoosh89]

I believe Google shares the 30% cut with the telecom companies but not sure what the actual split is.

[gruez]

why not firefox for android + ublock?

[a1xndr]

on phones, ads are not limited to your web browser

[shmerl]

Try Librem 5.

[Skunkleton]

Easy to not have ads on a theoretical phone.