Apple provides hooks so that a web page can display an official, system supported "there is an app for this web site, tap here to download it" banner. I will bet $5 that Apple does not provide a way to block those.
a) do not track you
b) do not take up disproportionate amount of network bandwidth and CPU/battery
c) do not interrupt your viewing after the initial scroll down
which is why I personally would be fine with not blocking those. That being said, I can understand why others might be annoyed by these 'reminders' and want to block them.
His point wasn't that they are ads, it's that they will still be allowed so that users can be funneled into native apps, where there will still be ads. Since they can't make ad impressions on iOS users, maybe some of those sites will start offering a limited experience to iOS web users, inclining them to click that popup and install the app, where they will see ads that make Apple money.
But is that really an ad? If I go to CNN, and CNN tells me I can use the same site in a native app, I'm not sure that quite counts. Now if CNN carries (for a fee) a download link for an app for something different, a brokerage house, or Ford, or something, now that would be interesting to see if they block it.
My guess is that they would initially, then relax the blocking. Seems to be the preferred way to manipulate the populace these days (unless you have fear as a tool- fear is way better).
Why wouldn't it be an ad? They didn't spend a bunch of money developing a native app for no reason. They did it because it provides some sort of advantage for them. One advantage is that it lets them get on your home screen rather than just being another web site you visit, which probably increases the chances that you'll return.
You might disagree, which is fine. Whether something is an "ad" is somewhat in the eye of the beholder. Which is why this stuff ought to be configurable.
Of course not. Apple wants to add support for blocking ads on mobile web to encourage companies to write native apps that can contain unblockable ads. That way Apple gets more content on its platform and potentially a piece of the ad revenue with iAd.
