Google is going to begin blocking redirect ads in Chrome for Android as the latest version of Chrome for Android Beta now includes this feature, helping people browse the way they were intending and thus saving them time as well enhancing the experience. Since this is available in the beta version of the app it’s possible Google has already been working on this for a little while, and it makes sense considering Google’s preparation of the new ad blocking features that Chrome will be getting in the beginning of next year.
While this is just the beta version of the app it is a default feature so once it makes its way into the stable version users can expect it to work automatically when needed. It is possible to bypass the feature if you like, but seeing as how its intended purpose is to stop ads from pulling you away from the page you were on in the first place most users likely won’t want to bypass it. That said, if you do end up wanting to be redirected, Chrome is going to notify users with a popup that an ad redirect was blocked, and if you want to visit the site that the ad was going to take you to then you can tap on the “details” link on that block alert and then tap on the link to the other web page.
In addition to the new ad redirect blocking, the navigation bar down at the bottom of the Chrome browser app is white just like some of Google’s other apps which have already made the switch to using the new color scheme when normally the navigation bar is black. Also new in this latest beta, though for Windows 10 and not necessarily just Android, is HDR video playback support, which means if you’re using your browser to watch videos on Netflix and Amazon video instead of the apps through various other connected devices, then you’ll be able to watch any of the HDR content that both providers are offering. There are also a handful of other changes and improvements though they’re under the hood and not really as user-facing.