AfterDawn: News

Sprint letting users remove smartphone bloatware

If you have purchased an Android smartphone in the last year, chances are you have been stuck with a device that comes loaded with bloatware, pre-installed apps that are impossible to remove unless you root your device.

Sprint is looking to change that, however, and starting with the release of the HTC EVO 3D it appears that owners can now remove said bloatware without having to go through the hassle of rooting their device and adding a clean ROM.



The carrier says it listened to customer complaints and will continue the practice in the future.

There is no official policy on pre-installed apps from the FCC or other groups so it is at the carrier's discretion how many apps they want to add to phones being sold on their network.

One can only hope that major offenders Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile follow in Sprint's footsteps soon, giving users the freedom to remove apps that they will never use without having to resort to rooting their devices.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 24 Jun 2011 23:06

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• 2 comments

• dEwMe

  Don't manufactorers get paid to place those apps on your PC/phone/whatever? Wonder if making em easier to remove is a problem with those agreements?
  
  
  

  Just my $0.02,
  
  dEwMe

  25.6.2011 12:42 #1

• buxtahuda

  I don't see how, but leave that to the lawyers to find out. And they will.
  
  I mean, if they removed them to begin with and just tried shepherding users with ads or something sure. But so long as it's pre-installed, the user is introduced easily. I think it's awful that even after paying as much as we do for products and services that we can't just have that product/service. You have to have everything they want you to have and pay for.
  
  Why I rooted my phone, and why I no longer use cable, and why I don't browse the net without adblock and betterpopupblocker.
  
  I've already paid my dues, I have the devices/services required, I'm done. I don't understand paying a monthly subscription for something and then still having things thrown in your face.
  
  If I can't remove all the junk, if 1/3 of every hour is adverts, then I shouldn't have to pay to use it, or I should have to pay near-to-nothing.
  

  ~*Livin' Electronicallly*~

  27.6.2011 10:26 #2