Adblock Plus returns to Google Play store
Adblock announced that it will make its browser extension available on Android after returning to the Google Play store for the first time since 2013.
The advertisement blocking service returns at a time when more and more users are using the extensions to prevent ads showing up on sites they are visiting. The accelerating shift in internet usage from desktop to mobile means that the app is likely to quickly gain popularity.
Till Faida, co-founder of Adblock Plus, said the company was “very excited and grateful” to have its app available in the Google Play Store. She added that with the increase of “annoying and irritating ads” spreading to mobile devices, Adblock would allow for “faster browser speeds and longer battery life, not to mention keeping them safe from malvertising exploits.”
Adblock Browser for Android has been in beta since late May with over 300,000 people downloading the test version in the browser’s first week, and over 78,000 people volunteering to help test it in a beta community.
Adblock Plus, whose browser add-on has been downloaded more than 400 million times, could have a severe impact on advertisers who are investing heavily in mobile advertising. Many internet users have adopted the service due to concerns that ads slow down their browsing speed and make it easier for malware to infect devices.
The popularity of the adblocking add-ons is evident in the increasing number “adblock” search terms on Google which has increased by 82 per cent since 2005.