As you read it: in the absence of seeing what happens when Google implements the new Manifest V3 API in Chromium, breaking the full functionality of all current ad blockers in all Chromium-based browsers, Microsoft advances news in this regard, but where It hurts the most, on the Edge for Android.
You have to take everything in its proper context, because they are not related issues, even if they revolve around the same topic. The point is that while those responsible for derivatives of Chromium such as Brave or Vivaldi -we will have to see which one gets rid of applying it, because it is not at all clear- they have exposed from the beginning their disagreement with the cut functionality that Manifest is going to suppose V3, Microsoft has not said a peep.
Now, however, we learn that they have introduced a video ad blocker on Microsoft Edge Android, a key piece for anyone who already uses the browser on the PC. And best of all, it seems to work quite well… with YouTube ads, according to gHacks.
As is often the case in this type of case, however, this is a feature in the form of an experiment that can only be accessed through the browser’s hidden preferences, by activating one of the browser’s flags, and only if is using the Canary version, the test version, to understand us. An image for more signs…
Image: gHacks
But what Android user watches YouTube with the browser, and not with the official Google application, which works great? Well, many, precisely due to the advertising that floods the videos of “content creators”; advertising thanks to which they earn money, but in recent times has increased exponentially and not only by decision of those creators, but by imposition of Google itself.
In short, there are browsers with powerful built-in ad blockers whose performance with the video platform is quite acceptable, and there are those who prefer it to the native experience provided by the YouTube app. And, beware, because whoever says browsers, also says Chrome with additions to the system such as Adguard’s DNS, which, although it can even deal with the advertising of many applications, with YouTube there is no tutorial.
The bottom line is… Microsoft Edge with a native feature dedicated to blocking ads running on videos, and therefore YouTube as the target platform? Well, As incredible as it may seem, it’s happening and although, it is worth repeating, at the moment it is a hidden feature in a trial period, if they have put it in it is for a reason.
Perhaps the reason is that despite the fact that Edge is a key piece in Microsoft’s software framework, its market share on Android is far from the growth experienced on the desktop; And perhaps this is because, unlike other browsers, Microsoft Edge lacks this type of function that is so noticeable on mobile.
Yes, Chrome continues to reign supreme and it doesn’t have any blockers either, but that’s the point: whoever has switched from Chrome to Edge on their PC is a somewhat more advanced user than the one who eats everything just the way they put it. A behavior that, logically, extends to the mobile.
