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Google restores ad blocker for Samsung browser to the Play Store

Google restores ad blocker for Samsung browser to the Play Store

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Following a little bit of drama last week, Google has restored an ad blocking plugin for Samsung's Android browser to the Play Store today, according to a blog post from the developer of the app. The plugin, Adblock Fast, was removed from the Play Store last Tuesday after only being available for a day, with Google citing that the plugin violated a section of the Store's developer agreements. The specific rule that was violated relates to plugins modifying other third-party applications, which is prohibited by Google.

Adblock Fast was among a handful of new plugins for Samsung's preinstalled browser that lets users block content and apps from appearing when viewing web sites. It works similarly to how content blockers function in iOS 9 on the iPhone. Inexplicably, the other plugins that have been released were never removed from the Play Store by Google, though they all functioned in largely the same way. Rocketship Apps, the developer of Adblock Fast, filed for an appeal of Google's decision last week and the app was reinstated without further explanation from Google.

If you have a Samsung device with Android 4.0 or newer, you can download Adblock Fast from the Play Store now, though it will only work if your device also has Android 6.0 Marshmallow and Samsung Internet 4.0.