Apple and Android users rejoice as ad blocking arrives at the Apple mobile platform and re-enters Google Play Store with the release of Adblock Plus. While users are ecstatic, Adblock Plus' launch may be a head-scratcher for companies making profits through online advertising.

Adblock Plus browser is now available for iOS for the first time, reports VentureBeat. Now operating as a standalone browser, it automatically detects ads that it considers to be "annoying" or malicious. Unobtrusive ads are allowed by default; however, users can also choose to block them. The new Adblock Plus has seen improvements in its scrolling and bookmarking features which are not present in Apple's Safari.

The release of Adblock Plus for iOS coincides with Apple's big unveiling of iOS 9 and its improvements to Safari's ad-blocking abilities. The Adblock Plus company says that this was merely just a coincidence.

Adblock Plus' 2013 predecessor for Android Adblock Plus only focused on thwarting in-app ads and was removed along with similar apps from the Google Play Store at the same year as reported by NDTV Gadgets. Recently, it made a comeback as its beta version was announced four months earlier. The official version can now be downloaded from Play Store.

Created by Wladimir Palant in 2006, Adblock Plus is open source software that offers browser extensions to block annoying online ads, pop-ups, video ads, and malvertisements (ads that have malicious and fake links) according to ZDNet. It was first only available on Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Internet Explorer browsers. In 2011, Eyeo GmBH was founded by Palant solely for the Adblock Plus project.

Ad blocking, though not illegal, became a controversy since online advertisers have seen it as a threat to their businesses. Millions of people worldwide use this technology to protect their devices from obtrusive ads, bringing up scorn from advertisers. In fact, there were recent cases filed against Adblock in which the latter won, with the court ruling ad blocking as legal.

Eyeo says that Adblock Plus does not only focus on blocking ads. It also promotes the Acceptable Ads initiative wherein the adblocking software allows decent ads to appear on-screen. The software aims to create a clutter-free Internet environment by finding a middle ground between users and content creators, publishers, and advertisers.

By blocking nasty ads and pop-ups, Adblock Plus for iOS and Android creates a better Internet experience for the user by allowing faster browsing and longer battery life. The iOS app is compatible to devices running iOS 8.0 and higher while the Android app works on version 2.3 up.