iOS 9 will allow developers to create Safari ad blocking software

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On June 11, digital publishers and online marketers may have a headache - according to the online version of the Wall Street Journal, ad blocking software may soon be available on Apple's mobile browser Safari.

As we all know, the computer version of Safari has supported ad blocking for some time, such as the popular Adblock Plus. Now, Apple seems to be interested in making the mobile version of Safari have the same function, extending the "content control" rules to iOS 9.

According to Apple's documents, the new feature will allow developers to create extensions "to block small text files, images, pop-ups, and other content."

As you can imagine, this new feature may have a wide range of impacts, including publishers and online advertising personnel. For example, developers may build tools to remove ads from publishers' pages, or prevent advertisers from tracking their ads through text files.

That could be bad news for publishers looking to profit from mobile users, as well as for advertisers, many of whom say restrictions on cellphone location and tracking are blocking mobile advertising.

Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next, a digital publishing industry organization, once said that the new features of iOS 9 "will definitely promote the use of ad blocking software."

Meanwhile, ad blocking is becoming more common online. The Interactive Advertising Bureau described it as a "high priority" for 2015, and publishers say the growth of ad blocking shows no signs of slowing down.

“Unchecked ad tracking and the clutter it creates on the web is a direct result of users seeking ways to block it all together,” Gent said. “The industry needs to get faster at addressing these issues so we can put an end to the less trustworthy digital advertising landscape.”

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.