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Ad Blockers Debut at Top of iOS App Charts

It turns out that iPhone users really don’t like ads.

Online publishers may not like what they see on the iOS app charts today.

Peace and Purify, two apps that block online ads and tracking networks, are currently ranked number one and number four, respectively, in Apple's top paid apps charts. The apps, which cost $2.99 and $3.99, respectively, have also gotten rave reviews from users who claim they greatly increase web browsing speed.

"You'll be amazed how fast websites will load again," user macdaddy5000 wrote in a review for Peace. "Brings the internet back to full speed, plus I never agreed to be tracked in the first place."

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Another user, Lcurry5, said of Peace: "Strait dope, this is where it's at."

The subject of online ad blocking is one that we've covered extensively here at Motherboard, particularly with respect to iOS 9. Apple's latest mobile operating system, which was released yesterday afternoon to positive reviews (like this 48,000-word epic from MacStories), allows app developers to create so-called content blockers for Safari. These content blockers block ads and online tracking networks that keep tabs on users for the purpose of showing targeted ads.

The fear among online publishers is that the popularization of ad blocking, particularly on iPhones, may deprive them of the ad revenue that funds the publication—something they've had to deal with on the desktop ever since the release of Adblock Plus in 2006.

Peace and Purify are only two examples of iOS 9 content blockers, with a whole host of others also available. Crystal, which was free for a limited time yesterday and now costs 99 cents, has also gotten rave reviews from users. Eyeo, the German company behind popular Adblock Plus, also plans to release an iOS 9 content blocker in the near future. Eyeo is also planning to host a conference within the next year to gather publishers, advertisers, and everyday internet users to draw up a list of acceptable online advertising practices, the company revealed to Motherboard earlier this week.

More on ad blocking from Motherboard:

[Howard Stern Just Taught Everyone's Parents About Ad-Blockers](Howard Stern Just Taught Everyone's Parents About Ad-Blockers)

Another Reason to Use an Ad Blocker: Malvertising Has Tripled This Year

Ad Blockers May Cost Online Publishers $22 Billion