Google Pulls Samsung-Backed Adblock Fast for Violating Play Store Guidelines

Just because Samsung holds the tent-pole position in Android market, it doesn't necessarily warrant it any leeway from Google. The Mountain View-based company this week pulled the Samsung-backed Adblock Fast from Google Play.

On Wednesday, Google pulled Adblock Fast from Google Play when it found that the Samsung-backed app was violating one of its app store's guidelines. The app in question was only recently launched on Google Play, and it utilised an API that Samsung opened just last month.

As per the developers of Adblock Fast, Google says that their app was violating the Section 4.4 of the Google Play guidelines. Section 4.4 says that an app cannot interfere, disrupt, damage, or access in an unauthorised manner the devices, other apps, or network. The move points to Google's take on ad-blocking apps as a whole.

Adblock Fast was released on Google Play on Monday, and before getting pulled on Wednesday it had been downloaded more than 50,000 times. The app allowed Samsung smartphone and tablet users to block ads on their devices. The plugin boasts of more than 200,000 users and is also available on iOS, Chrome, and Opera Web browsers.

Samsung announced earlier this week that it was now allowing developers to make apps that could block ads on its official Internet Web browser. Adblock Fast was the first app to utilise this feature. It is unclear whether Google should have pulled the app, because Adblock Fast and Samsung had a partnership, and the app could only be used on Samsung's devices.

Since Samsung's announcement two more adblocking tools - Adblock Plus and Crystal - have cropped up on Google Play. Interestingly, Google hasn't pulled either of the apps yet. It's worth pointing out that even if Google pulls these apps, Samsung could host them on its own app store.