It looks like the company that has built its massive business based on ad revenue isn't too keen on any software which potentially threatens that business model, even if it doesn't violate any of its online store rules, by happily censoring it. That company is Google with its Google Play online store and the removed, or censored application is Adblock Plus for Android, along with others like it.
As its name in implies, the open-source Adblock Plus blocks ads on websites, so that those annoying animated ads are no longer inflicted on the user. However, in a blog post today on the official website, lead developer Wladimir Palant explained what happened:
While this isn't good news, not all is lost. The application can be downloaded directly from adblockplus.org and installed from there, but it won't update automatically. Also, a new version is being developed that will allow auto updates independently of the Google Play store, although they won't be "quite as comfortable unfortunately". The next release is expected to be available on March 19, so not too long to wait now. For the impatient, development builds are currently available. It will also be made available at many alternative stores, too.
Adblock Plus is free and currently the most popular ad blocking software out there and is also available for Firefox, Opera and Google Chrome - irony, anyone?
Source: Adblock Plus blog
As its name in implies, the open-source Adblock Plus blocks ads on websites, so that those annoying animated ads are no longer inflicted on the user. However, in a blog post today on the official website, lead developer Wladimir Palant explained what happened:
In a rather surprising move, Google removed Adblock Plus and other ad blocking apps from the Google Play store due to “interference with another service or product in an unauthorized manner.” This looks like a course change at Google, until recently the main distinction between Android and iPhone was that Android allowed you to install any app as long as it wasn’t malicious (meaning that it’s obvious what the app does). Google Play still allows apps stating “for rooted phones only” but I wonder whether these are next on the list to be removed – each of them performs “unauthorized actions”.
While this isn't good news, not all is lost. The application can be downloaded directly from adblockplus.org and installed from there, but it won't update automatically. Also, a new version is being developed that will allow auto updates independently of the Google Play store, although they won't be "quite as comfortable unfortunately". The next release is expected to be available on March 19, so not too long to wait now. For the impatient, development builds are currently available. It will also be made available at many alternative stores, too.
Adblock Plus is free and currently the most popular ad blocking software out there and is also available for Firefox, Opera and Google Chrome - irony, anyone?
Source: Adblock Plus blog