Safari 5, Apple’s recently launched web browser comes with a feature that created unrest among online advertisers.
The feature, called Reader, removes ads, pop-ups and banners from a page, creating an easier to read environment for web surfers.
The process is not automated, and can be activated by users via Safari 5’s menu, so not all viewed web pages will be affected. Most web sites with a tasteful layout and a less aggressive style of advertising have all the chances to escape the Reader’s modifications.
Apple is not the first company that offers tools of removing web banners. Many browsers do this with the help of add-ons, like Ad-Block, Readability or Instapaper. Also, Safari is only being used by a relatively small percent of web surfers. Considering these facts, we could say that the threat to the online ad market is not as great as other threats, most notably the ones coming from the weak economy.