Apple is coming for ads. It’s coming for publishers. And, in the process, it may be gunning for the web. The company revealed another update to iOS 9—app developers will be able to create ad blocking software for Safari’s mobile browser. Ad blocking is nothing new. Users have long downloaded extensions to block ads on their desktop browser of choice to better protect their privacy, improve load times, save battery life, and, well, block those pesky pop-ups and annoying banner ads. But, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, ad blocking has become so popular that it poses a danger to marketers, entertainers, and publishers.
Consumers are spending more of their digital time on their phones—and Apple wants to own that experience. While iPhone users can download third-party browsers, the majority of mobile and tablet users in the US use Apple’s own Safari browser. So, even though some limited ad block options have existed for iOS and Android in the past, this is the first time Apple is giving mobile ad blocking its official blessing.