Amazon Prime Exclusive Phones: How To Disable Lock Screen Ads

Someone has shared an APK file of an update that disables the lock screen ads on Amazon Prime Exclusive Phones. Find out how you can obtain the ad-banishing APK below.

Late last week, Amazon announced that it was disabling the ads on the lock screen of its Prime Exclusive Phones. Newly-bought handsets would not come with promotions anymore. On the other hand, older phones purchased through the program will be receiving an update that will take care of the lock screen ads.

If you are one of the many who bought your device via Amazon’s Prime Exclusive Phones program, it could take a while before your handset could receive the update. Fortunately, an XDA Forums user, with the handle DarkPhoenix7878, shared online over the weekend an APK file of the Amazon Offers update after receiving it on his own smartphone. Download the APK here.

Once you have downloaded the APK, you can sideload it on your Android device so its lock screen will be free from ads. Before you sideloading the app, you need to enable Unknown sources under the Security settings. This allows you to install apps from sources other than Google Play Store. The next thing you need to do is to open the file manager and find the APK file you’ve just downloaded. A single tap would then initiate the install.

The APK should apply changes to the Amazon Offers app once installation is complete. The big change is of course the removal of the lock screen ads and promotions. Again, Amazon is rolling out the update to all users. But for those who are tired of waiting for the update, this APK provides you with an instant solution to your problem.

As what IBTimes previously reported, new handsets will not come with ads anymore. Amazon has also promised that Prime members will continue to enjoy discounts. However, since lock screen promos will be disabled, customers should expect a $20 price increase on all devices being sold through the Prime Exclusive Phones program.

Amazon introduced the program that offers Android phones at a discounted price in 2016. While users are ensured that they are getting premium phones at a more affordable price, there’s some sort of compromise: a locked bootloader, Amazon bloatware and lock screen ads.

According to Android Police, Amazon’s decision to get rid of lock screen ads comes after the recent discovery of a security flaw that enabled the lock screen to be bypassed while on-body detection was active. This means it was easy for other people to unlock Prime Exclusive Phones without the need of the owner’s PIN/pattern/password.

“Previously, customers received low prices on Prime Exclusive Phones supported by lock screen offers and ads. With this change, existing Prime Exclusive Phone customers will have the offers & ads removed for no additional charge. The $20 price adjustment will be applied to new Prime Exclusive Phone purchases, which will still include a discount off of the list price available exclusively for Prime members,” Amazon said in a statement.