• Top-Selling iOS Ad Blocker, Crystal, to Let Companies Pay to Show You Ads

    by
    Akshay Masand
    Published on 2015-09-25 08:27 AM
    21 Comments Comments


    Crystal, which is the most popular ad-blocker on the iOS App Store right now, is allowing advertisers who pay for the privilege, to bypass the app’s filters according to a recent report. This whole policy comes from a deal that the Crystal developer, Dean Murphy, forged with Adblock Pro creator, Eyeo. In this case, Eyeo does maintain an “acceptable ads standard that limits intrusiveness but over 70 companies, including some giants such as Google and Microsoft, have reportedly paid to skip past filters. If you happen to be one of the many users who is using Crystal, users can enable full ad blocking by disabling the “acceptable ads” option.

    Eyeo commented that over 700 businesses that have ads could potentially allow their ads to be shown. The firm is paying Murphy a flat fee each month for the ability to set this entire operation up. Murphy claimed that he wants people to be able to support publishers, many of which are still dependent on ads for income. He said the following regarding the matter:

    Given how popular Crystal has become, it doesn't provide any way for users to support publishers. I decided that's a good feature to provide, and from what I've seen the 'acceptable ads' policy doesn't let through what I'd classify as bad ads.
    For those of you who didn’t know, the app has generated roughly $75,000 for Murphy, even though it’s only being sold for 99 cents and has only been out for a week.

    If you happen to be living under a rock and don’t know much about the situation as a whole, many publishers have expressed concern about the release of ad blockers in iOS 9. Though such blockers have been available on other platforms for several years, the iOS market is large enough that losing ad access could cause major issues for many.

    Source: iOS App Store (Crystal) The Wall Street Journal
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Top-Selling iOS Ad Blocker, Crystal, to Let Companies Pay to Show You Ads started by Akshay Masand View original post
    1. Categories:
    2. iPhone,
    3. iOS,
    4. Apple,
    5. AppStore,
    6. Software
    Comments 21 Comments
    1. sheltons.iphone's Avatar
      sheltons.iphone - 2015-09-25, 08:50 AM
      I can't imagine apple approving an app that could block iAds.
    1. Eonhpi's Avatar
      Eonhpi - 2015-09-25, 09:04 AM
      ive always used cydia adblockr plus or firewall **** the app store garbage blockr fake ****
    1. RobLo76's Avatar
      RobLo76 - 2015-09-25, 10:01 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by sheltons.iphone View Post
      I can't imagine apple approving an app that could block iAds.
      "Weblock" in the App Store doesn't block iAds out of the box, but an email to the Dev and a configuration later - Boom! No iAds. (Only works on Wifi.)
    1. hogcia's Avatar
      hogcia - 2015-09-25, 12:47 PM
      Never heard of this app, guess I'm living under a rock.
    1. stulaw11's Avatar
      stulaw11 - 2015-09-25, 02:25 PM
      Sad. So people paying $1 a pop isn't "enough" money. Guy has made $75k and app has been out 2 weeks in the store. Now you want to let some publishers through based on if they pay you? Greed. Will be using a different adblocker that doesn't sell out for money.
    1. rolandgabor's Avatar
      rolandgabor - 2015-09-25, 03:13 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by stulaw11 View Post
      Sad. So people paying $1 a pop isn't "enough" money. Guy has made $75k and app has been out 2 weeks in the store. Now you want to let some publishers through based on if they pay you? Greed. Will be using a different adblocker that doesn't sell out for money.
      It's free enterprise in capitalist America. Why be so made at the guy for making money? It's not greed, it's fulfilling the purpose of making the app. You go make your own.
    1. Perceptum's Avatar
      Perceptum - 2015-09-25, 03:38 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by rolandgabor View Post
      It's free enterprise in capitalist America. Why be so made at the guy for making money? It's not greed, it's fulfilling the purpose of making the app. You go make your own.
      Because some of us are tired of greed.
    1. vinaygoel2000's Avatar
      vinaygoel2000 - 2015-09-25, 04:19 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Perceptum View Post
      Because some of us are tired of greed.
      Don't hate the player. Hate the game. Guy is just making money. Like others say, no one is stopping you to make an app and list it for whatever amount and then sell your company for a trillion dollars. If you got what is takes, go make money. There's nothing greedy about it. He's just aiming for financial freedom. He wants to go in a shop and buy an item he likes without asking for its price. Things are not cheap these days my friend. Hermes belt costs a freaking $1,000 these days.
    1. buttamix's Avatar
      buttamix - 2015-09-25, 04:20 PM
      Oh man that's hilarious
    1. bigboyz's Avatar
      bigboyz - 2015-09-25, 05:26 PM
      Sounds like the mail man. I was asked by my local mail man to get my mail out of my box because it was filling up. I told him i did grab my mail and left the trash he brings me. He related that the PO is paid to deliver sales fliers etc. I was like then pay me to take them to the trash :]
    1. crslaeme's Avatar
      crslaeme - 2015-09-25, 05:38 PM
      So are you guys saying buy this app or what ?
    1. budsalinger's Avatar
      budsalinger - 2015-09-25, 06:39 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by vinaygoel2000 View Post
      Don't hate the player. Hate the game. Guy is just making money. Like others say, no one is stopping you to make an app and list it for whatever amount and then sell your company for a trillion dollars. If you got what is takes, go make money. There's nothing greedy about it. He's just aiming for financial freedom. He wants to go in a shop and buy an item he likes without asking for its price. Things are not cheap these days my friend. Hermes belt costs a freaking $1,000 these days.

      The problem here is he is selling an app to users that "blocks ads". Then he turns around and gets paid by the ad makers to "unblock ads". That should be criminal. If he was going to sell to advertisers the ability to unblock the ad blocker then the users should have been made aware before they gave him money for essentially nothing at all(?).

      My 2 cents. I don't use the app but it bugs me when people are so devious. It is greed. If he is making an ad blocker then just make it and don't undermine your customers to make a couple more dollars.
    1. Labertasche's Avatar
      Labertasche - 2015-09-25, 07:19 PM
      Well, I hope like Adblock Plus there will be an option to turn that on/off, since that wasn't part of the initial version people paid money for, the user should be able to make that choice to participate in this "acceptable adds" program or there will be quite a lot of 1 star reviews and angry early adopters.
    1. budsalinger's Avatar
      budsalinger - 2015-09-25, 10:55 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Labertasche View Post
      Well, I hope like Adblock Plus there will be an option to turn that on/off, since that wasn't part of the initial version people paid money for, the user should be able to make that choice to participate in this "acceptable adds" program or there will be quite a lot of 1 star reviews and angry early adopters.
      word to the mother
    1. vinaygoel2000's Avatar
      vinaygoel2000 - 2015-09-25, 11:22 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by budsalinger View Post
      The problem here is he is selling an app to users that "blocks ads". Then he turns around and gets paid by the ad makers to "unblock ads". That should be criminal. If he was going to sell to advertisers the ability to unblock the ad blocker then the users should have been made aware before they gave him money for essentially nothing at all(?).

      My 2 cents. I don't use the app but it bugs me when people are so devious. It is greed. If he is making an ad blocker then f*cking just make it and don't undermine your customers to make a couple more dollars. F*ck that. F*ck him. And f*ck you if you disagree. Go eat your f*cking Hermes belt... whatever that is.
      Read the article again. Users have the option to disable acceptable ads. So a user who bought the app has the option to never see a single ad.
    1. Nuff Said's Avatar
      Nuff Said - 2015-09-26, 04:49 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by vinaygoel2000 View Post
      Read the article again. Users have the option to disable acceptable ads. So a user who bought the app has the option to never see a single ad.
      You read it again. That option doesn't block all ads.
    1. vinaygoel2000's Avatar
      vinaygoel2000 - 2015-09-26, 04:53 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Nuff Said View Post
      You read it again. That option doesn't block all ads.
      If you happen to be one of the many users who is using Crystal, users can enable full ad blocking by disabling the “acceptable ads” option.
    1. RoloDiva13's Avatar
      RoloDiva13 - 2015-09-29, 03:15 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by budsalinger View Post
      the problem here is he is selling an app to users that "blocks ads". Then he turns around and gets paid by the ad makers to "unblock ads". That should be criminal. If he was going to sell to advertisers the ability to unblock the ad blocker then the users should have been made aware before they gave him money for essentially nothing at all(?).

      My 2 cents. I don't use the app but it bugs me when people are so devious. It is greed. If he is making an ad blocker then just make it and don't undermine your customers to make a couple more dollars.
      this ^
    1. Perceptum's Avatar
      Perceptum - 2015-09-29, 04:26 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by budsalinger View Post
      The problem here is he is selling an app to users that "blocks ads". Then he turns around and gets paid by the ad makers to "unblock ads". That should be criminal. If he was going to sell to advertisers the ability to unblock the ad blocker then the users should have been made aware before they gave him money for essentially nothing at all(?).

      My 2 cents. I don't use the app but it bugs me when people are so devious. It is greed. If he is making an ad blocker then just make it and don't undermine your customers to make a couple more dollars.
      me too! ^
    1. Nuff Said's Avatar
      Nuff Said - 2015-10-08, 04:26 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by vinaygoel2000 View Post
      If you happen to be one of the many users who is using Crystal, users can enable full ad blocking by disabling the “acceptable ads” option.
      ONLY the acceptable ads. Otherwise, and I think any intelligent mind could deduce this, they would not have selectively used the word "acceptable."
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