Why are we still fighting smartphone bloatware in 2025?
Why are we still fighting smartphone bloatware in 2025?
I was excited to dive into my new smartphone only to once again waste precious time uninstalling bloatware before I could enjoy it.
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Because people keep buying Xiaomi and Samsung shit that's loaded with crap (at least over here, I understand this varies massively by region).
Base Android is also loaded with crap, directly from Google. Android is the worst mobile operating system, with the exception of all the others.
Base Android (AOSP) is not, what you probably mean is Google Android.
Look at GrapheneOS, that is a usable, privacy-focused Android without bloat.
It works on pixels only, I don't trust Google hardware
You ain't wrong but it is currently the gold standard
You ain't getting away from glowies, but at least corporate marketing trash can't track you that easily
There are many other custom ROMs that don't need pixel. Try LineageOS.
I've used it for many years. Lineageos is a largest rom sure .
The issue is that google fucks with base android more and more. Now they made it that there is that yellow logo on boot - your android is insecure. Then banking apps are not working.Updating from android to android on lineage was a chore on oneplus 8t.
And I ended up not being able to rollback to stock because I wanted to trade in for A new model.It just makes it harder to use roms.
That's fair
Almost none of the devices are shipped with anything but Google's Android, and manufacturers don't provide you alternative versions of Android
Yes, Google owns Android as a whole, but (almost?) every single OEM customizes Android for their purposes. That is not the same thing.
Moto doesn't.
I guess we just have a simple task - to make sure that all android phones are running base android.
How do u propose that could be done?Legislation to allow installing arbitrary OS and firmware on all consumer devices.
At least Samsung phones are only bloated with Samsung apps, which in most part you can uninstall or disable. Although it's still fucking stupid that when you buy a new phone you need to do a lot of maintenance just to make your phone work as it should, and not slow down because of shitty apps.
My Samsung tablet had a lot of non Samsung apps, some even duplicating Samsung ones.
I disabled no less than 10, there are other 10 I can't
my samsung phone had tiktok on install
Many budget phones get paid money to install other apps by default, this can be useful for you so you get more hardware for the money
This is a S21 Ultra, bought for $1000+ at launch.
Nvm
I mind the Google crap more than I mind the Samsung stuff. At least Samsung's browser supports ad blockers since ages. That Chrome POS is just useless.
i buy samsung cause parts aka easier to source parts.
fixing phones is the biggest scam ever. once you open the phone you are always going to have problems with the phone. they are not made to be opened and repaired.
As much as I hate this saying, it sounds like a skill issue
I've done repairs on all my phones. New buttons, screens, batteries, ports, etc. I've never caused an unforeseen new issue by doing so.
Its not so much a skill issue, more so phone repair stores are the scams. they break stuff that wasn't broken in the first place and get you to come back with the that issue or say it was also broken. Source: used to work in the phone repair industry and knew people who did this on the regular and is a standard.
What you describe is literally a skill issue though, if they're breaking unrelated components.
Depends on the model, and the manufacturers would certainly prefer you replaced it, but I've privately fixed a few phones for friends/family. Fucked up and broke the first one, but the ones after are pretty much all still running without issue.
you can argue that iphones and pixel phones etc... have bloatware/spyware/malware as well.