Say goodbye to ads in iOS 9 with the new Crystal app for Safari
One of the lesser-known new features in iOS 9, which was officially released to the public earlier today, is the ability to use content blockers in Safari.
While users could previously download third-party Web browsers that would accomplish the same task, Apple now allows developers to create native solutions for the built-in browser. That’s expected to take ad blocking into the mainstream.
And the long-awaited Crystal has just arrived on the App Store.
Getting the ad-blocker up and running does take a few quick and easy steps. After downloading the app, you’ll need to visit the Safari portion of the Settings menu. Select Content Blockers and then flip the toggle switch to enable Crystal. You’ll then be ready to go. If you ever run into any problems on a particular site after enabling Crystal, just hold down the refresh button and then select “Reload Without Content Blockers.”
The steps needed to activate Crystal.
Along with blocking most all advertisements on the Web, the app should also help you save cellular data and even battery life. That’s a winning combination, all for free. In just a few minutes of using Crystal, I found that it easily lives up to its claims as all the sites I visit – including a number of ad-heavy locations – are loading much faster.
Crystal is a universal app designed for the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad/iPad mini. It can be downloaded now on the App Store for free. You’ll need iOS 9 and a device with a 64-bit chip to run the program. On the iPhone side, that’s the iPhone 5s or later. For iPad users, that’s the iPad Air, iPad Air 2, and the iPad mini 2 and later.
Here’s a quick promo video that shows the app at work. Click here if you can’t see it.
Maybe Crystal developer Dean Murphy can now work some more magic and some how block the words “Kardashian” or “Jenner” from ever appearing in the App Store. That wouldn’t be too hard, right?
For other news today, see: Three new products from iDevices will offer support for Apple’s HomeKit, Incipio’s expansion continues with Incase acquisition, and Rustle up some puzzle fun with Texas Word’Em.
