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ES File Explorer strips out much-despised adware lockscreen
ES File Explorer has long been a favorite management app for a vast number of Android users, and we’d never really had anything negative to say about it until earlier this month. The developers pulled a questionable maneuver when they added “Charging Boost,” an ad-heavy lockscreen feature that claims to increase charging speed. Monetization is one thing, but affecting user experience is another altogether. However, it seems like ES File Explorer’s developers have listened to the outcries of their fanbase. A new update has stripped out Charging Boost for good. As the changelog succinctly notes:
V4.0.5.3
*Removed Charging Boost function for better user experience
This favored file finder isn’t the only app to fall victim to what seems to be a growing plague of lockscreen ads, as apps like Z Camera and Xender all look to be infected. It seems like users have drawn a line in the sand regarding what level of ad intrusion they are willing to endure. It’s nice to be able to download something for free, so ads are a necessary evil for many apps, but there’s a difference between tastefully recommending content and pulling control away from the user. The addition of Charging Boost led a good number of ES File Explorer’s followers to say goodbye, so its removal kind of looks like the devs extending them an olive branch.
The question is, will it be enough? The answer to that can only be found in the minds of users. Over the course of years, ES File Explorer built a solid reputation that garnered nearly 2.5 million downloads. For a long time, it was a go-to manager for many Android nerds. With this irritating adware component gutted, it remains a very capable file manager that offers essentially everything you could want from such an app. Although the addition of Charging Boost has made many users feel once-bitten, twice-shy, it’s hard to ignore such a solid track record. Will users be willing to overlook this stumble?
What call are you going to make? Was this misstep a deal-breaker for you, or are you willing to let bygones be bygones and give ES File Explorer a second chance? Let us know what you think in the comments below!