Splash screen ads continue to evolve, posing significant challenges for smartphone manufacturers.

Now, another smartphone manufacturer has joined the battle against shake-to-unlock ads.

Recently, vivo rolled out the latest version of OriginOS 5 for the X200 series, introducing a new feature called 'Device Motion and Orientation Permissions'. This feature allows users to choose whether to enable sensors when apps are launched or running, thereby reducing the likelihood of splash screen ad redirects.

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Smartphone manufacturers have long been combating shake-to-unlock ads. From Meizu and Xiaomi initially to OPPO, Honor, and others gradually adding splash screen sensor permission control options, it has become increasingly difficult for splash screen ads to automatically redirect due to user hand tremors. Can vivo, as a late entrant, improve upon this feature? Lei Tech explores on your behalf.

No More Ad Redirects, Even with Shaky Hands

As early as early 2023, Xiaomi introduced an option called 'Accelerometer Sensor Permission' in the MIUI development version 23.1.3. When users enable 'Disable During Splash Screen', regardless of how they hold the phone, there will be no ad redirect.

In principle, shake-to-unlock ads utilize the phone's built-in accelerometer and gyroscope sensors to detect user movements in real-time, including changes in acceleration and angular deviation. When users shake the phone, the accelerometer records motion changes along the X, Y, and Z axes, while the gyroscope complements the detection of the device's rotation angle. On Android systems, apps obtain these data by calling the system's SensorManager API, and algorithms match the shake's intensity, frequency, and direction with preset trigger conditions.

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This allows apps to accurately capture movement data and achieve redirects, regardless of how carefully the user opens the app or holds the phone.

After updating to OriginOS 5, vivo provides a 'Sensor Permissions' toggle for all compatible models, but this toggle is not specifically optimized for splash screen scenarios. For example, on the Y300, which hasn't been updated to the latest version, disabling sensor permissions disables the sensors entirely, both during the splash screen and within the app.

OriginOS's previous approach was somewhat 'one-size-fits-all', which is indeed the harshest method against splash screen ads. However, current app splash screen ads employ methods beyond shake-to-unlock, including swiping, flipping, tapping, etc. Completely disabling sensor permissions virtually eliminates existing redirect methods but disables automatic screen orientation changes enabled by the gyroscope sensor within apps, which can be awkward for video apps.

On the latest vivo X200 version, the 'Sensor Permissions' toggle is independent, allowing for specific enabling during the splash screen or globally. In practical use, when 'Do Not Allow Sensor Access During Splash Screen' is enabled, ads requiring a shake during the splash screen won't redirect due to hand tremors, with immediate effects.

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Currently, mainstream smartphone manufacturers generally support this feature. Xiaomi and OPPO can also achieve no redirects after disabling splash screen sensor permissions, providing an experience similar to vivo's. However, Apple deserves criticism as iOS 18 still doesn't support this feature, with ads frequently redirecting during sales promotions, rendering it almost unusable.

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Although the 'Apple flavor' is trendy this year, with many smartphone manufacturers criticized for being too similar to the iPhone and lacking distinctiveness, Chinese smartphone manufacturers understand better what local users need and which special permissions must be tightly controlled at the system level. In this comparison, iOS still has much to learn from Android.

Eliminating Splash Screen Ads: Smartphone Manufacturers Are Doing Their Best

Mobile app splash screen ads have been popular since the advent of the 4G era, with shake-to-unlock ad redirects dating back to around 2018. In 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued new regulations severely cracking down on irregular splash screen ads, with shake-to-unlock redirects being the primary target.

Despite widespread recognition of users' aversion to splash screen ads, this ad format persists and has become standard for many apps.

According to a QuestMobile report, over 78% of users believe splash screen ads are the primary factor affecting their app usage experience. For instance, when urgently needing information or completing a task, users have to endure several seconds of irrelevant ads and may inadvertently redirect to shopping platforms or scam ad pages due to hand tremors. These ads are often low-quality, highly repetitive, and even contain vulgar elements, exacerbating user aversion.

From a market perspective, splash screen ads are undoubtedly a 'cash cow'. Statista data shows that in 2023, the size of the Chinese mobile advertising market exceeded 900 billion yuan, with splash screen ads accounting for nearly 12% of the market share. Research firm Aurora Mobile also mentions that the click-through rate of splash screen ads is typically between 1% and 3%, much higher than feed ads and banner ads. This high exposure and high conversion make it a key area for advertisers.

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More importantly, developers in the Android ecosystem often rely on a free-to-use model, where advertising monetization is almost the sole revenue source. Umeng data shows that over 68% of free app revenue comes from advertising, with splash screen ads occupying a significant position. Meanwhile, intensifying industry competition makes this monetization model indispensable.

As smartphone manufacturers noticed the issue of splash screen ad redirects, a protracted battle ensued between them and app advertisers. Currently, smartphone manufacturers generally support avoiding this issue by disabling splash screen sensors, including overseas manufacturers like Samsung and Google. As for Apple, it issued a severe warning to developers in 2023, but the overall app ecosystem remains dire. Based on personal experience, some apps still exhibit severe redirect issues, especially during sales promotions, with various forced ads causing considerable frustration.

Splash Screen Ads Continue to Evolve, Leaving Much Work for Smartphone Manufacturers

In 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology met with 68 enterprises to address splash screen ad issues and provided rectification opinions. Although splash screen ads are not illegal under the Advertising Law, their overly aggressive reach has caused user dissatisfaction. Nowadays, shake-to-unlock splash screen ads have decreased, but app developers have introduced new interaction methods.

Currently, splash screen ads employ various redirect methods beyond traditional shake-to-unlock, including swiping, flipping, tapping, etc. The continuous evolution of splash screen ad formats essentially represents a technical exploration by advertisers and developers to improve click-through rates and advertising revenue. Data shows that interactive ads typically have a click-through rate 30%-50% higher than static ads, making them an attractive option for advertisers needing to boost short-term conversion rates. However, this pursuit of click-through rates has intensified the conflict between ads and user experience.

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Faced with the continuous evolution of splash screen ads, smartphone manufacturers are gradually realizing the importance of protecting user experience and taking various measures to 'counterattack'. For example, vivo and Xiaomi have introduced sensor permission toggles in their latest systems, allowing users to disable accelerometer or gyroscope permissions during splash screen ads. This approach effectively prevents shake-to-unlock and flip ad triggers, providing users with greater operational freedom.

Taking vivo's OriginOS 5 as an example, current smartphones have achieved a high level of detail in recording and managing app permissions. First, vivo records app permission usage behavior, marking each app's read/write operations in a timeline format to enhance permission transparency. Second, app permission management, including auto-start, camera access, accelerometer sensor invocation, etc., is largely left to user discretion.

However, from the current trend, smartphone manufacturers have taken an important step in optimizing user experience through permission management and dynamic detection. The key to the future lies in the co-evolution of technology and regulations: on the one hand, reducing ad interference through intelligent permission control and ad logic optimization; on the other hand, balancing commercial interests and user rights through stricter industry standards and privacy protection measures.

It can only be said that it will be difficult for other marketing methods to replace the 'affordable and high-quality' splash screen ads in the short term. What smartphone manufacturers can do is continuously improve privacy and sensor permission management to enhance the user experience.

Source: Lei Technology