3 ms·

That "bloatware" is just alternatives to Google's software and systems, and much of it isn't bad, if not better. I prefer the Gallery app over Google Photos, t

That "bloatware" is just alternatives to Google's software and systems, and much of it isn't bad, if not better. I prefer the Gallery app over Google Photos, the Samsung My Files app is cleaner than Google Files, Studio is a decent video editor, Samsung Notes is a capable rich text editor with pen support, Dex is a usable desktop shell, and more. Anything I don't like - like Bixby, Store, Keyboard, Wallet, Pass and Internet - I can easily replace and even hide them in the Settings. Combined they take up minimal storage. I'm not sure what people expect Samsung to do, just use whatever Google says to use and not try to innovate?

aucisson_masque 9mo ago
No I think when people speak of bloatware, they think more about, for instance, the 3 preinstalled Facebook app. Of which 2 of them are systemized, effectively hidden and can’t be uninstalled.
- russellbeattie 9mo ago
  Huh! I had no idea about those services. I just checked my S21 Ultra and yep, they were there. It took like 20 seconds to force stop and disable them, though I'm sure they'll be re-enabled during the next update. Honestly, I'm not sure I care enough to worry about it. If I've never noticed in the past 5 years, then they weren't adding much "bloat". When I think of that sort of useless software, I imagine all the OEM crap that Windows laptops come with that usually cause instability and hog resources.
  - aucisson_masque 9mo ago
    Sure, they weren’t annoying and aren’t taking much space. It’s more about privacy, when you launch a firewall like pcapdroid and notice all the data these apps send in the background… that’s insane. Plus, I just gave you 3 apps but there are dozens if not hundreds of them on any third party rom. The list is never complete because it keeps changing with each update. Some can’t be disabled or uninstalled because they break the phone. Once you get in this rabbit hole, it’s maddening and you start to appreciate stock rom like iOS or pixel.
NoboruWataya 9mo ago
> I'm not sure what people expect Samsung to do, just use whatever Google says to use and not try to innovate? To me, the benefit of the S series was "Android on decent hardware". I would have preferred as close to stock Android as possible. I mostly use F-Droid stuff anyway, though of course that means I am far from the average consumer. They are primarily a hardware company - it seems reasonable to expect them to innovate there, and leave innovation in software to the software companies.
- russellbeattie 9mo ago
  Can you really be "just" a hardware company and still compete with Apple, which is both a software and hardware company? Samsung has its own ecosystem of products and services to manage and unify. If I'm Samsung and I'm trying to compete in the market against Apple, I want to provide as much as possible to my customers, without needing to rely completely on a third party. Also, when the OS or app on a Samsung has problems, customers don't blame Google, they blame the company that sold them the phone. If I worked there as a product manager, I'd make the same choices to help the company maintain as much control as possible.

aucisson_masque 9mo ago

No I think when people speak of bloatware, they think more about, for instance, the 3 preinstalled Facebook app. Of which 2 of them are systemized, effectively hidden and can’t be uninstalled.

russellbeattie 9mo ago
Huh! I had no idea about those services. I just checked my S21 Ultra and yep, they were there. It took like 20 seconds to force stop and disable them, though I'm sure they'll be re-enabled during the next update. Honestly, I'm not sure I care enough to worry about it. If I've never noticed in the past 5 years, then they weren't adding much "bloat". When I think of that sort of useless software, I imagine all the OEM crap that Windows laptops come with that usually cause instability and hog resources.
- aucisson_masque 9mo ago
  Sure, they weren’t annoying and aren’t taking much space. It’s more about privacy, when you launch a firewall like pcapdroid and notice all the data these apps send in the background… that’s insane. Plus, I just gave you 3 apps but there are dozens if not hundreds of them on any third party rom. The list is never complete because it keeps changing with each update. Some can’t be disabled or uninstalled because they break the phone. Once you get in this rabbit hole, it’s maddening and you start to appreciate stock rom like iOS or pixel.

NoboruWataya 9mo ago

> I'm not sure what people expect Samsung to do, just use whatever Google says to use and not try to innovate? To me, the benefit of the S series was "Android on decent hardware". I would have preferred as close to stock Android as possible. I mostly use F-Droid stuff anyway, though of course that means I am far from the average consumer. They are primarily a hardware company - it seems reasonable to expect them to innovate there, and leave innovation in software to the software companies.

russellbeattie 9mo ago
Can you really be "just" a hardware company and still compete with Apple, which is both a software and hardware company? Samsung has its own ecosystem of products and services to manage and unify. If I'm Samsung and I'm trying to compete in the market against Apple, I want to provide as much as possible to my customers, without needing to rely completely on a third party. Also, when the OS or app on a Samsung has problems, customers don't blame Google, they blame the company that sold them the phone. If I worked there as a product manager, I'd make the same choices to help the company maintain as much control as possible.