An Android app which blocks all ads across the mobile web and apps will launch tomorrow.

AdBlock Plus aims to help its users avoid misleading, malicious and distracting advertising on mobile. The types of ads that mean ‘users lose trust in advertising’, says co-founder of Eyeo, Till Faida, which owns AdBlock Plus.

User demand

“An app for Android has been requested by users many times. People are shifting browser habits to mobile so we’re glad to offer this functionality as well,” said Faida.

The app will initially block all ads but they plan to have an acceptable ads feature as well – similar to the ‘whitelist’ of advertisers created for the PC-version of the software.

Users will be able to configure certain filters – what to block and what to let through – and could decide to remove all Facebook ‘like’ streams on websites they are browsing, for example.

More than 50m people have downloaded the PC-version of AdBlock Plus. Between two and three per cent of internet users have the software installed in the UK and US, while one in 10 people in Germany, where the company is based, use it. It is downloaded 100,000 times every day.

More sustainable ad revenue

Faida says that the app will help mobile advertisers to create a more sustainable advertising revenue stream. “It doesn’t do good to force bad advertising on people. Our Acceptable Ads Initiative should give advertisers an incentive to focus on a better UI for customers. We have a very engaged community of volunteer helpers who double-check those on the approved list.

“If it’s providing value or entertainment, like rich media ad formats, it can get positive user reaction. It depends on how it is perceived. We have seen banners  since the 1990s and people are fed up with them.

No iOS version

“This empowers users and the community to be the regulators. User-approved ads work a lot better than those approved by the industry. At the moment, advertisers that focus on providing good ads are brought down by the bad stuff.”

The same kind of app will not be made available on iOS. “Apple’s policies prevent such apps from being created, but this means they are not innovating,” Faida added.

“We provide the tools so that everyone can have a choice. It empowers users to make their own decision about what kind of ads they see.”

IAB raises industry concerns

But while some consumers may welcome the arrival of ad blocking software on Android, the IAB is less enthusiatic. Nick Stringer, director of regulatory affairs at the trade body, told Mobile Marketing: “UK internet users recognise that advertising helps pay for the content, services and applications that they want and enjoy – regardless of whether it is consumed via a laptop, mobile, tablet or other connected device.

“Services such as AdBlock Plus undermine this business model and threaten growth and innovation of emerging businesses, particularly in the mobile environment.”

Ravi Kamran from the Trademob ad network found the news more constructive: “This move of Eyeo signals yet again that it is crucial to show well-targeted ads to potential users instead of boring or irritating them with irrelevant banners. This goes for online as well as mobile.

“It is thus the task of all the advertisers, ad networks and marketing platforms to offer sophisticated, high quality targeting solutions and to make sure users are presented with relevant, interesting banners.”