Google removed an ad blocker app called Adblock Fast from Google Play, just three days after Samsung announced support for ad blocking in its web browser for mobile devices.
Samsung introduced ad blocking within its mobile web browser by launching a Content Blocker extension API, allowing developers to build mobile apps that will allow surfers of the web via Samsung's browsers to block ads and other content slow down web pages, like trackers, upon installation.
As a response, third-party developers launched ad-blocking mobile apps that will work with the browser, one of which was Adblock Fast.
Adblock Fast was designed to use Samsung's Browser API to allow Android users to block ads in Samsung's default web browser.
The app was reportedly removed because of a violation of section 4.4 of the Google Play Developer Distribution Agreement. The section cites "prohibited acts," and states that apps that developers distribute should not interfere with other installed services. In this case, it would mean that the app shouldn't block profitable advertisements.
Rocketship Apps, maker of Adblock Fast, appears to be trying to find a way to somehow bring their app back to Android.
This isn't the first time Google has blocked an app for blocking ads. In early 2013, it removed from Google Play, as reported by PC Mag, applications that facilitate ad blocking, including AdBlock Plus. Adblock Plus eventually came back with a full version for both Android and iOs; and which today has clocked over 1,000,000 downloads.
Meanwhile other ad blockers, like Crystal and Adblock Plus (Samsung Browser). However, Crystal's developer Dean Murphy has been declined an update by Google's app review team. The reason is the same as they gave for blocking Adblock Fast: section 4.4 of the Developer Agreement. Murphy has appealed the update rejection and is still awaiting a reply.
Adblock Plus, the other ad blocking app, is also still live. However, they have not submitted an update yet, says CEO and co-founder Till Faida.
