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Make a Samsung Smartphone Great by Switching Out Its Apps

31 points by pavornyoh 11y ago

snoldak924 11y ago
At this point it is quite clear that OEMs only put these apps on consumer's devices to make a profit, and that there is no eye towards the affect on the product. The bigger question is, why do the carriers want so badly for me to use their NFL app?
- deciplex 11y ago
  They don't, but they got a fraction of a penny to put the app in front of you. Nobody (to a first approximation, and especially on the Android side) buys a phone because of the software - they just look at the hardware (if that) and make their decision. By the time you're being annoyed by NFL apps it's too late.
barbs 11y ago
Interesting that the author makes the point that choice is important for an OS like Android, and then recommends only Google-made alternatives to make it "as Google intended". Google software != best software, necessarily.
- it_learnses 11y ago
  Yeah, but many people like myself use Google services on android, so it's a good alternative.
  - elcapitan 11y ago
    Even if it is choosing the default, then that is still something I actually wanted. What really enrages me is to see how all that stupid Samsung software lives its secret life for itself on my phone, without me being able to make the choice to get rid of it. That stuff sits there, updates all the time and annoys me. Like a bunch of squatters living in my house. Thanks for that "HP printer driver" btw, I really needed that one, Samsung.
ubercow 11y ago
It's not just about the apps with Samsung Phones, the long delay on new Android versions and the "TouchWiz" skin make it inferior to a Nexus or even a "close-to-native" experience like the Moto X pure.
- TheOneTrueKyle 11y ago
  This is the reason I made the switch to a nexus device. Sure, Nexus phones aren't as powerful as a Samsung Galaxy, but I can be guaranteed software updates. When I got a SG III, the Android version on my phone was the one and only release (at least during my run with the phone). That was enough for me to make the switch.
  - Gustomaximus 11y ago
    Flashing the phone to stock, or a forked version is worth it. Its fun trying out the forked OS's for those of us that are more 'phone interested'. It's a fairly quick process (flash + phone setup) once you're used to it. Also I find older phones get a new lease of life if you remove bloatware so you get another year of a phone feeling responsive. And it gets rid of that urge to buy a new phone for the sake of it like I get after having the same phone for a while.
    - TheOneTrueKyle 11y ago
      Yeah I agree and have flashed in the past. But ultimately, as a user, I want that out of the box. It's been a while. Do you have any recommendations for forked OS's?
      - Gustomaximus 11y ago
        Here are some: http://beebom.com/2016/01/best-custom-roms-android http://beebom.com/2016/01/best-custom-roms-android. I've been more interested in watching alternate OS develop lately. I'm running a Windows version currently (not there yet but a few good features). And likely give Ubuntu a go next as I've been really curious about their progress though it seems to have slowed, possibly try Sailfish...
clumsysmurf 11y ago
Mossberg said in a recent review "Premium devices shouldn't be vehicles for carrier come-ons". http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/8/11176606/walt-mossberg-samsung-galaxy-s7-smartphone-review http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/8/11176606/walt-mossberg-sams... I can't imagine spending $700-$800 USD for a device and then having to uninstall junk.
- Shebanator 11y ago
  I have no love for carrier or manufacturer bloatware, and Android devices are worse than iOS for both. But I have to say that iOS isn't immune - I have a folder full of Apple apps that I don't use and can't even disable on my iPad (Health, Watch, Maps, Find Friends, Tips, etc etc etc)
  - santaclaus 11y ago
    I thought I was the only one with an unused builtin app folder hidden on my last screen! For the life of me, I don't understand why Apple won't let you remove the Tips app, of all things...
    - kyzyl 11y ago
      It probably sends somebody 'tips' about you ;-)
    - JustSomeNobody 11y ago
      They don't want to field the support calls from people who delete Safari.
  - on_and_off 11y ago
    I think that Nexus devices even has less pre-installed apps than iPhones. Standard Android OEMs devices are still full of all sorts of preloaded crap though. This makes me want to see Google finally take Pixel/Nexus seriously and push its own SOC & terminals.
    - 11y ago
rcthompson 11y ago
This article describes the exact process I went through with my Galaxy S3.
dharma1 11y ago
Did the same steps with my S7. Much better after replacing the launcher and keyboard
dba7dba 11y ago
Make apple devices great by using Google services.

31 points by pavornyoh 11y ago

At this point it is quite clear that OEMs only put these apps on consumer's devices to make a profit, and that there is no eye towards the affect on the product. The bigger question is, why do the carriers want so badly for me to use their NFL app?

deciplex 11y ago
They don't, but they got a fraction of a penny to put the app in front of you. Nobody (to a first approximation, and especially on the Android side) buys a phone because of the software - they just look at the hardware (if that) and make their decision. By the time you're being annoyed by NFL apps it's too late.

barbs 11y ago

Interesting that the author makes the point that choice is important for an OS like Android, and then recommends only Google-made alternatives to make it "as Google intended". Google software != best software, necessarily.

it_learnses 11y ago
Yeah, but many people like myself use Google services on android, so it's a good alternative.
- elcapitan 11y ago
  Even if it is choosing the default, then that is still something I actually wanted. What really enrages me is to see how all that stupid Samsung software lives its secret life for itself on my phone, without me being able to make the choice to get rid of it. That stuff sits there, updates all the time and annoys me. Like a bunch of squatters living in my house. Thanks for that "HP printer driver" btw, I really needed that one, Samsung.

ubercow 11y ago

It's not just about the apps with Samsung Phones, the long delay on new Android versions and the "TouchWiz" skin make it inferior to a Nexus or even a "close-to-native" experience like the Moto X pure.

TheOneTrueKyle 11y ago
This is the reason I made the switch to a nexus device. Sure, Nexus phones aren't as powerful as a Samsung Galaxy, but I can be guaranteed software updates. When I got a SG III, the Android version on my phone was the one and only release (at least during my run with the phone). That was enough for me to make the switch.
- Gustomaximus 11y ago
  Flashing the phone to stock, or a forked version is worth it. Its fun trying out the forked OS's for those of us that are more 'phone interested'. It's a fairly quick process (flash + phone setup) once you're used to it. Also I find older phones get a new lease of life if you remove bloatware so you get another year of a phone feeling responsive. And it gets rid of that urge to buy a new phone for the sake of it like I get after having the same phone for a while.
  - TheOneTrueKyle 11y ago
    Yeah I agree and have flashed in the past. But ultimately, as a user, I want that out of the box. It's been a while. Do you have any recommendations for forked OS's?
    - Gustomaximus 11y ago
      Here are some: http://beebom.com/2016/01/best-custom-roms-android http://beebom.com/2016/01/best-custom-roms-android. I've been more interested in watching alternate OS develop lately. I'm running a Windows version currently (not there yet but a few good features). And likely give Ubuntu a go next as I've been really curious about their progress though it seems to have slowed, possibly try Sailfish...

clumsysmurf 11y ago

Mossberg said in a recent review "Premium devices shouldn't be vehicles for carrier come-ons". http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/8/11176606/walt-mossberg-samsung-galaxy-s7-smartphone-review http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/8/11176606/walt-mossberg-sams... I can't imagine spending $700-$800 USD for a device and then having to uninstall junk.

Shebanator 11y ago
I have no love for carrier or manufacturer bloatware, and Android devices are worse than iOS for both. But I have to say that iOS isn't immune - I have a folder full of Apple apps that I don't use and can't even disable on my iPad (Health, Watch, Maps, Find Friends, Tips, etc etc etc)
- santaclaus 11y ago
  I thought I was the only one with an unused builtin app folder hidden on my last screen! For the life of me, I don't understand why Apple won't let you remove the Tips app, of all things...
  - kyzyl 11y ago
    It probably sends somebody 'tips' about you ;-)
  - JustSomeNobody 11y ago
    They don't want to field the support calls from people who delete Safari.
- on_and_off 11y ago
  I think that Nexus devices even has less pre-installed apps than iPhones. Standard Android OEMs devices are still full of all sorts of preloaded crap though. This makes me want to see Google finally take Pixel/Nexus seriously and push its own SOC & terminals.
  - 11y ago

rcthompson 11y ago

This article describes the exact process I went through with my Galaxy S3.

dharma1 11y ago

Did the same steps with my S7. Much better after replacing the launcher and keyboard

dba7dba 11y ago

Make apple devices great by using Google services.