Brave browser no longer blocking ads

asked 2019-08-22 16:59:35 +0200

pakman gravatar image

I have been using the Brave browser on my Xperia X for a while now, but after upgrading from 1.1.2 to 1.2.0 I notice that it isn't blocking ads any longer, even though the shields are up. I have made the precautionary assumption that tracker blocking might have broken too, and for the time being switched back to Firefox with ad-blocking and anti-tracking plugins.

I have tried version 1.2.0 out on a genuine Android device, and ad blocking is working there, so it must have something to do with the Android support on Sailfish X. It could be the absence of Google Play Services (in which case the XA2 would also show the same), or the fact that the Xperia X only has support for Android version 4.4.4. Or something else entirely...

If there are any other users of Brave on SFOX out there, have you found the same, or is it just me?

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Comments

Did you raise an issue on their Github page? They could help you and explain what is wrong. Considering that the new version has come out quote recently, it could some kind of bug.

onehundredpercentdruken ( 2019-08-22 20:08:16 +0200 )edit
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It would help if someone could try it on an XA2 first, so that we know if the problem is the outdated Android app support on the X or not. If it is something to do with the lack of Google Play services, then I would no longer be interested. An app that relies on Google APIs to protect users' privacy sounds like an oxymoron to me.

pakman ( 2019-08-22 21:43:46 +0200 )edit
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You may be interested in blocking ads via hosts file (e.g. using defender from openrepos)

bomo ( 2019-08-23 07:14:36 +0200 )edit

How did you install Brave on Xperia? It's not in F-droid repositories.. Thanks

Tinybit ( 2019-12-02 09:54:15 +0200 )edit
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@Tinybit At the time I installed Yalp from F-droid, and then installed Brave from Yalp. However, Brave has dropped support for Android version 4, so it is no longer a viable option for Xperia X users. I have since switched to Bromite and I am very happy with it. I still use Brave on my laptop though.

Yalp is no longer maintained/supported and isn't able to download APKs from the Google Play store any longer (unless you specify a real Google account, but then IIUC you risk that account getting banned). If I want to install an app from the Google Play Store now, I have to download it using the desktop/laptop browser extension "APK Downloader for Google Play Store" and sideload the APK.

If you have an XA2 and you want to try Brave, I suggest that you try installing Aurora Store from F-droid, and then installing Brave via Aurora Store. YMMV: I haven't tried this myself because Aurora requires Android 5

pakman ( 2019-12-02 14:02:53 +0200 )edit