Intel's File Protect app, which encrypts files on smartphones, will be discontinued and due to that hundreds of thousands of users risk losing their files. The app, available for Android and iOS will be discontinued from the 10th of November and any data that isn't exported before that date will be lost.
Intel writes on the page of the app, "If you are a current File Protect user or you have used File Protect in the past, please update the File Protect app and then export any files you wish to keep - from your vault to your mobile device. These files will be decrypted automatically. You must export your files before November 10th or you risk losing access to them."
Google Play shows the app is installed on 100,000 to 500,000 Android devices, owners of these devices risk losing their files if they don't export their files before the 10th of November. Apple's App Store doesn't show on how many devices the app is installed.
Users are warned on Google Play and Apple App Store pages but most of us don't visit those pages anymore once an app is installed. As the app itself is pretty much set-and-forget, the notification in the app itself might also not been read by many users of the app before the deadlines expires on the 10th of November.
New users of the app are immediately warned about the discontinuation of the app and Intel has disabled the import, protected photos, file share and cloud backup features.
The Intel File Protect app could be used to encrypt files, photos and videos on a smartphone or tablet. The files could then also be synced to Google Drive and Dropbox. Another feature was 'Quick Secure Snap' which allowed pictures and video to be saved encrypted in the gallery.
The app's discontinuation is "part of any product lifecycle that helps to drive better user experiences", Intel writes. The company adds that it will implement "what it has learned from File Protect in the development of future products."
