This was my first reaction to this feature. I already expected some controversy.
Personally i dont think it is cheating in any way. It is just showning you more clearly for what was already part of the game. It wont give you more info. It only give you the same info more clearly. Now it is not just a number if you click on the tower, but it is made visual.
If this is cheating, then the small tree mod is also cheating. Smaller trees lets you see more easy what is going on behind the trees. It has kind of the same impact for the game.
These mods were already available by everyone. You could already select the mod and use the mod. So there was already an equal playing field. There isnt really a big difference between a mod you can pick or not or a setting you could use or not.
Making the range indicator part of the game only change how well know the feature is. If it is a mod, then it might be hidden for some people. Not everyone knows the greatest mods. If it is a feature of the game, then it is much more well known.
So i do agree with you that it is great that this feature become part of the base game.