Apple to introduce major shift to block ads from devices

Publishers and advertisers alike can now count the days when they can send out content and ads freely as Apple makes a move to control content across its devices. This move is not just crucial for Apple, but also for the digital publishing industry as the tech giant now offers a new revenue outlet. Experts believe the industry is in for a major shift once the platform rolls out.

Apple has opened a considerable business opportunity as it can potentially "siphon" a lot of ad revenue through its ad-blocking move, according to the Wall Street Journal. The decision threatens the media industry especially since the company has started granting permission to ad-blocking apps like Blockr. Many publishers are concerned of the decision's impact to their bottom line. Having the ability to block ads can hurt advertising for many brands.

"Apple with its latest operating system is about to open up a new front in the war against online ads," ABC quoted director of UWA's Centre for Software Development Dr David Glance. The official also said that the move is a "big deal" for any party attempting to earn from the media based on advertising.

Nonetheless, this is just a part of the situation. The launch of the Apple News -- a news reading app where publishers can distribute content -- can also be an outlet for brands and other companies.

However, there are still contentions to the potential offered by Apple. ABC cited figures from anti-ad blocking company Pagefair and software giant Adobe, saying that publishers can lose as much as $US22 billion (AU$30 billion) alone for 2015. In Australia for instance, there are already around 3.7 million active users with ad blockers. These are mostly on desktop PCs. Mobile devices can potentially account for more.

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