One of the best and most popular content blockers on iOS has been completely overhauled and rebuilt into an even better product. So long 1Blocker, hello 1Blocker X.
First thing’s first: what even is a content blocker? If you’re not familiar with the term, content blockers aim to improve your web browsing experience by blocking unwanted elements from websites you visit. That means it filters out adverts and blocks sites from tracking you.
As a side benefit, blocking extraneous in this way content cuts the time it takes to load pages, so you can navigate the internet much faster. It also means there’s less data to download, which is a boon if you’re on a limited mobile data plan.
The app is a Safari extension rather than a standalone product, so you can continue using the standard iOS web browser. Safari already includes a level of content blocking you can access from Settings, but 1Blocker goes the extra mile with a huge repository of custom rules to filter out as much cruft as possible.
1Blocker’s previous incarnation has been used by over a million users and featured by big names like the New York Times and TechCrunch. The new version looks to be an improvement on the old formula, and well worth considering if you want a faster, more secure experience with Safari.
We’ll give the new app a thorough test and bring you a full review in due course, but in the meantime, feel free to investigate for yourself!