[projectvrm] iOS 9 content blockers

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And so it really begins...

iOS 9 content blocking will transform the mobile Web: I’ve tried it
 By OWEN WILLIAMS
Aug 24 2015
<http://thenextweb.com/apple/2015/08/24/ios-9-content-blocking-will-transform-the-mobile-web-ive-tried-it/>

The next version of iOS comes with a major new feature called ‘content blockers’ which will allow users to install apps that block trackers, advertisements and other unwanted content for the first time.

Much has been written about the impending threat of ad blocking on iOS — it’s the first time blocking mobile advertisements en masse will be possible and publishers may face an existential threat to their revenue streams.

Content blockers on iOS are a new type of app that’s able to block incoming content before it’s loaded by the system — it provides a list of sites and scripts to the operating system for blocking. Instead of requiring the browser to process what to block as the page loads, it’s performed on a system level before the page loads which increases speed significantly.

Many websites utilize so-called ‘third-party trackers’ to enable advertising, analytics and other marketing tools to show visitors advertisements.

These tools gather information as you browse the internet to try and show you ads that are relevant to your habits, but often add extra weight that slows down site performance dramatically, increasing load times and causing the browser to sometimes become unstable.

I’ve been skeptical about content blockers on iOS; I don’t block advertisements on desktop, since I find the browser to be fast enough for it to not be necessary. I do block trackers, because I worry about the information such networks are gathering on me.

Mobile Safari, however, is another story. It can feel slow, bulky and unstable at times as it tries to handle the ever-growing piles of cruft that sites pile on to try and show relevant advertising.

Over the last few days I’ve been testing an experimental content blocker called Crystal, which promises to speed up browsing on iOS. I’ve been particularly impressed by the results and taken aback by how much removing trackers, ads and other scripts makes a difference over a cellular connection.

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