The appearance of the Files Go app from Google earlier this week caused a bit of a stir, with the app briefly available. It’s now appeared again but it’s actually available to download for anyone.
The apps availability on Google Play was announced by Google VP of Product Management Caesar Sengupta who acknowledged the existence of the Beta app, tweeting:
Looks like some of you found our Files Go Beta 🙂 We thought we’d make it available for a few more of you on the Play Store. Feedback welcome! https://t.co/qXLb1V0bKu
— Caesar Sengupta (@caesars) November 9, 2017
The app is an early Dev/Beta build, but it works so far for most people who’ve tried it. The aim of the app is to find rarely used apps, as well as spam or duplicate images so you can increase the amount of available storage.
Files Go, also helps with finding photos, videos, and documents and it’s also helpful sharing files. The screenshots listed in the app listing show it can send files to your friends nearby, seemingly making it a basic competitor for apps like Apple’s Airdrop.
Saving space is a big issue on devices with smaller storage, such as those found in emerging markets. Google has named the app Files Go (our emphasis), in line with the new Android Go announced at Google I/O earlier this year. Android Go is intended to be run on lower end devices with 1GB of RAM or less – these devices traditionally have smaller amounts of storage as well. Google has listed that the Files Go app is a miniscule 6MB in size, great for those devices as well.
If you want to try it out, you can install it now from Google Play.
So why would someone switch from, say, ES File Explorer to this one? What does the Files Go have that others don’t? Or is this another way of Google taking the livelihoods away from developers who have supported Android?
If you’re still actually using ES File Explorer, I’d say your biggest issue is ignorance to the pile of malware that app has become. Solid Explorer is far better.
Thoughts on ES File Manager Pro? Is it plagued with the same crap as stated above? I got it when it was free…
The Pro version doesn’t have malware or anything like that.
I wouldn’t buy the pro version of any app that a developer thinks should be riddled with crapware. If you want to force me to buy your pro app by including that shit in your free one, I’ll go find someone else to support. What kind of terrible developer does that?
Honestly, I bought the pro version way before the free version starting pulling shady crap like that so I don’t know.
I’m still using the Pro version but blocks its mobile/wi-fi data usage. Otherwise, it connects to addresses overseas. Very good app ruined by sneaky stuff.
ES File Explorer isn’t a great option anymore. For those who want a better file manager, Solid Explorer is much, much better. It’s far more powerful than Google’s File Manager which — let’s face it — is a fairly basic offering for the average consumer.
I can install using the link in the tweet
Install button in play store is “greened” out