Official Samsung Browser Receives Ad Block Support

[DroidModderX]

I will never understand why any OEM would want to incorporate Ad Block into their device period. Smart phones exist to be web viewing devices. The overwhelming majority of the web is ad supported. Without ads you don't have anything to look at on your phone. It makes no sense. While this may be true it looks like Samsung has decided to lean towards the anti-ads side of the table.

They have just updated their official browser to include ad block support. The update is coming to devices running Android Lollipop or better. It should be noted that Samsung is not adding ad block natively to their browser. They are just allowing the installation of 3rd party ad blocking add-ons. The reason stated for doing this is to speed up load times and save data. While blocking ads may shave a couple miliseconds off your page load times just consider all of your favorite content on the web is likely supported by ads.

via TheVerge

 

[johnomaz]

​

I will never understand why any OEM would want to incorporate Ad Block into their device period.

Because some websites are extremely obtrusive with their ads. With small data caps from carriers, ads can take up a lot of bandwidth.

 

[Briankbl]

Hey look! It's someone who works for an ad supported website being upset about ad blocking...

 

[Beardface]

Maybe if ads hadn't started out as trojan horses for malicious viruses that you HAD to block in order to keep your devices clean people wouldn't be so latched onto Ad Blockers nowadays. Even today, I have noticed that my Nexus 9 with minimal apps downloaded will have a noticeable decrease in performance with a spike in lag and general bugginess after inadvertently visiting some sites or accidentally clicking on an ad and I know I had something loaded beyond my control that shouldn't be there.

 

[New2u]

As beardface points out, this isn't just an old issue, this is also a current issue. The easiest way to infect millions of people is to infect the ad service that these websites use. There have been a few articles written about the lack security on the ad services servers. I understand that a lot of websites get money in the form of ads that they put on, and if we block them all they will most likely just find another way to push them in our face.

 

[DrumsOfGrohl]

Hey look! It's someone who works for an ad supported website being upset about ad blocking...

I mean, you wouldn't be able to view this forum for free if it wasn't for the ads. So in that sense, you're just as biased.
I hate ads, but I also hate paying for stuff. There's a balance.

Some sites take FOREVER to load because of all the ads. Those sites suck. Youtube has ads, but they're not obnoxious, and therefore its easy to put up with them before I watch my cat vide... I mean sports highlights. and Cars and stuff...

 

[dgstorm]

Yeah... it sucks that the black hats of the world figured out how to backdoor ads with malware. If you sometimes wander the web in shady places where you might get attacked through ad malware, then that's a good reason to use ad blockers. Also, it's a pain when some sites completely dominate your screen with tons of ads. I especially hate the ones with annoying pop-ups that you can't close.

Despite that, I understand what @DroidModderX is talking about when he calls out the OEMs. It shouldn't be the OEM's responsibility to install ad blockers. This should be the responsibility of the software companies that make browsers as well as the advertising companies themselves. Apple and Samsung are basically hardware companies. They need to stay out of it directly, or they need to work with the ad companies to figure out better solutions that don't ruin the experience.

The other problem with the OEMs getting in on the game by pre-installing ad blockers is that it could eventually hurt the reason why people own mobile devices in the first place. Whether people realize it or not, a vast majority of the internet itself is financially supported by ad networks. If ad revenue is destroyed, most of the web would go extinct very quickly.

It's a tough business, and we do our best here and our other sites so you guys don't have to be hit with too many crazy and annoying ads.

 

[Str8Aro]

Perhaps the solution will be the Brave browser. I am running a beta on W7 at home and it is fast without all the junk. The Android version is coming soon. OSX and Linux are in the mix, too. The biz model will make it possible for responsible ads that have been screened for malware to be displayed. The website owners will receive revenue and the viewers will have a more enjoyable visit without the creepy "you gotta see this" ads.

The Brave browser is from the mind of Brendan Eich and team. Brendan is the creator of JavaScript and co-founder of Mozilla. You can have a look, read the road maps and FAQs at Brave Software | Building a Better Web

 

[Miller6386]

I fully understand the need for ads... However on mobile device they are FAR FAR to intrusive... When they all of a sudden appear and you have to scroll them all the way up or down the screen to remove them annoys me.. So much so that I have a list of sites I REFUSE to go to... Now the little banner at the bottom on most sites is ok. But the pop up ones need to be addressed.. I can think of a few news sites that I like reading stories from but the last year or so the ads have become so impossible to deal with I boycotted it. In all of my years I can't think of a single time I saw an ad on a site that I thought I need to check that out... However I am one who looks at the ads in the back of most magazines to see what is out there... Many Many times I have gone to the site in one of those and bought the product.

For me its kind of the principle of it. Even if I do see something on one of those ads that interested me, I still will not click on it or look into it because they interrupted what I was doing to try and push something on me.

I think that in this day and age there could be a way to get the ads seen in a good and yet acceptable way. I am the same way with a game. As soon as an ad pops up from now where and I hit it because it pops up in the way I delete the game. In my mind that is low down and sneaky and a way to cheat into more "hits"

On the subject I also think that all ads and banners that flash saying that your device is infected should be banned. To the tech geeks like us we know that they are false but to many people get in trouble with them.

 

[dgstorm]

I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said @Miller6386!

 

[DrumsOfGrohl]

I fully understand the need for ads... However on mobile device they are FAR FAR to intrusive... When they all of a sudden appear and you have to scroll them all the way up or down the screen to remove them annoys me.. So much so that I have a list of sites I REFUSE to go to... Now the little banner at the bottom on most sites is ok. But the pop up ones need to be addressed.. I can think of a few news sites that I like reading stories from but the last year or so the ads have become so impossible to deal with I boycotted it. In all of my years I can't think of a single time I saw an ad on a site that I thought I need to check that out... However I am one who looks at the ads in the back of most magazines to see what is out there... Many Many times I have gone to the site in one of those and bought the product.

For me its kind of the principle of it. Even if I do see something on one of those ads that interested me, I still will not click on it or look into it because they interrupted what I was doing to try and push something on me.

I think that in this day and age there could be a way to get the ads seen in a good and yet acceptable way. I am the same way with a game. As soon as an ad pops up from now where and I hit it because it pops up in the way I delete the game. In my mind that is low down and sneaky and a way to cheat into more "hits"

On the subject I also think that all ads and banners that flash saying that your device is infected should be banned. To the tech geeks like us we know that they are false but to many people get in trouble with them.

I really agree with you. What do you suggest as a solution? I really can't think of a way.

 

[Miller6386]

I really agree with you. What do you suggest as a solution? I really can't think of a way.

I doubt anyone would go for it but do a page devoted to all the ads. Much like the last few pages in a magazine. There could be a few small links here and there OFFERED BY THE SITE saying please support our site by visiting these sponsors.

I would have no real intentions of buying anything but if it was a site I used all the time I would fully support them by clicking into the ad page.

I would be far my likely to go to a sponsors site if I were going there by my choice and not because an ad popped up and I had no choice but to click it.

Look at how they do things here. If you become a supporting vendor they give you your own section to advertise all you want in. I am OK with going in there once and a while and checking out what is available.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[pc747]

Yeah... it sucks that the black hats of the world figured out how to backdoor ads with malware. If you sometimes wander the web in shady places where you might get attacked through ad malware, then that's a good reason to use ad blockers. Also, it's a pain when some sites completely dominate your screen with tons of ads. I especially hate the ones with annoying pop-ups that you can't close.

Despite that, I understand what @DroidModderX is talking about when he calls out the OEMs. It shouldn't be the OEM's responsibility to install ad blockers. This should be the responsibility of the software companies that make browsers as well as the advertising companies themselves. Apple and Samsung are basically hardware companies. They need to stay out of it directly, or they need to work with the ad companies to figure out better solutions that don't ruin the experience.

The other problem with the OEMs getting in on the game by pre-installing ad blockers is that it could eventually hurt the reason why people own mobile devices in the first place. Whether people realize it or not, a vast majority of the internet itself is financially supported by ad networks. If ad revenue is destroyed, most of the web would go extinct very quickly.

It's a tough business, and we do our best here and our other sites so you guys don't have to be hit with too many crazy and annoying ads.

I beg the differ. You don't have to visit shady sites to get intrusive ads that slows performance. I actually not only like that Samsung is doing this but this may push the Samsung browser ahead of my chrome browser.

I feel there are many sites that have gotten out of control with the ads. Look I understand making some ad money but not at the expense of locking up my device and taking me to sites I didn't want to go to. Not to name sites but there are some tech sites that I have went to and like the entire screen is covered and you have to find the x that is a hidden ad. Stuff like that actually has shifted me toward ad blockers (particularly for those sites). If the site can not advertise it in a tasteful way where it does not hinder the performance than I'm either blocking or not visiting the site. End rant

Why is Samsung getting involved, probably because they are listening to their customers. People would not be so up in arms about ads if some of these sites would calm down on trying to treat their entire space like a NASCAR car ads. Are you trying to present your content or just be a billboard?
We see the ads at the bottom of the screen if we are interested we will click if not forcing me to click is not going to make me buy the product.

Thumbs up for Samsung in my book. Hopefully sites get the hint and get back to non intrusive ads that sits in the background out of the way.

Sent from my Nexus 6

 

[Miller6386]

Visit XDA from a mobile browser.... 2/3 of the page is ads that are larger in size than the content of the site.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[mountainbikermark]

I beg the differ. You don't have to visit shady sites to get intrusive ads that slows performance. I actually not only like that Samsung is doing this but this may push the Samsung browser ahead of my chrome browser.

I feel there are many sites that have gotten out of control with the ads. Look I understand making some ad money but not at the expense of locking up my device and taking me to sites I didn't want to go to. Not to name sites but there are some tech sites that I have went to and like the entire screen is covered and you have to find the x that is a hidden ad. Stuff like that actually has shifted me toward ad blockers (particularly for those sites). If the site can not advertise it in a tasteful way where it does not hinder the performance than I'm either blocking or not visiting the site. End rant

Why is Samsung getting involved, probably because they are listening to their customers. People would not be so up in arms about ads if some of these sites would calm down on trying to treat their entire space like a NASCAR car ads. Are you trying to present your content or just be a billboard?
We see the ads at the bottom of the screen if we are interested we will click if not forcing me to click is not going to make me buy the product.

Thumbs up for Samsung in my book. Hopefully sites get the hint and get back to non intrusive ads that sits in the background out of the way.

Sent from my Nexus 6

I already use the Samsung browser. It used to be available on the Play Store (called Android Browser) and was the oem browser , no matter the manufacturer, before Chrome and back when Chrome wasn't forced bloatware. I've stuck with it because it still supports Flash and is very vanilla. Now that they're adding ad blocker ability I'll actually be able to read some of the news stories posted on Facebook without the hassle of full screen ads and accidental new windows being opened by scrolling down in a non perfect spot with my finger if I'm not using my s pen to hover scroll.
I also have been dumping apps that have started putting ads full screen in the middle of using them, the latest was my dictionary app by a well known company. Do a query, tap search and a full screen ad pops up. X it out to get the results. No thank you. I usually just go ahead and get paid versions of most apps with the choice between ads and none but the dictionary one didn't state they were going to start doing mega ads in the update that added them or even mention they were changing methods at all.
I totally get ads bring in revenue but as many have stated, tasteful ones draw me towards an app/website and I've tapped a many ad to check things out. Time is money in the business world. Time is family in the home world. I don't have time to incessantly tap xs or other bothersome things that make a quick use of something take thrice as long to do. I applaud Samsung for giving us a choice of whether to add an add-on app vs Google and others walling things in more.
Mobile devices are getting more like carriers, cable, and internet. Less choice by bigger conglomerates telling us what we want/need little by little. We're pretty much Apple or Android that are both becoming more alike with every passing month.
How many of us use Tapatalk partly because our favorite forum can be scrolled without all the clutter and time consumption by ads, not to mention data savings?

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