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from the if-you-don't-like-it-you-can-keep-it dept.
Samsung is facing a battle with end users concerning its agreements with software companies to set some preinstalled software on Samsung mobile phones to be undeletable. Users have found that applications like Facebook can't be uninstalled, which has caused some distress given the recent data breaches and lack of respect Facebook has shown towards its users in the past decade. Some users have sworn off getting another Samsung phone if apps can't be uninstalled. The argument that users can just hack the phone to get root access, and then force remove the apps does not hold with non-technical users and anyone who can't risk bricking their device. Samsung has refused to comment on this, and specifically will not provide details about agreements it has with software vendors to force their applications to always be installed on Samsung phones. By comparison, the iPhone does not ever come with pre-installed third party applications.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday January 09 2019, @06:49PM (8 children)
Have you ever tried to get rid of that stupid and pointless "Stocks" app on your iPhone?
Yeah, me too. Can't even remove the icon from the home screen. Makes no difference to me if it's not a third party app, I want it gone.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 09 2019, @07:11PM
I'm running iOS 12.1 and you absolutely can remove the stocks app. And the calendar. And the mail app. Even the iTunes store and the music player app.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 09 2019, @07:32PM
That's why I switched to Nokia. All their phones ship with Android One, which means that virtually nothing is on there that an't be uninstalled. Pretty much just the things essential to having a working system.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 09 2019, @07:58PM (1 child)
Congratulation. You've just proven to anyone with a clue that you haven't touched an iPhone for years.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday January 09 2019, @09:57PM
I have an iPhone 7 as a work phone, but only use it for calls and texts.
You are quite right, the only time I ever interact with it is when I send or receive a call or text, so I was not aware I could get rid of a whole bunch of stock apps.
Now I know, which is nice.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 09 2019, @08:21PM
I use the stocks app a lot to keep an eye on my portfolio, So I never tried deleting it. You’re not much into investing I suppose?
(Score: 3, Informative) by ilsa on Wednesday January 09 2019, @10:36PM
You've been able to do that since iOS 10.
And even when I couldn't do that, I ended up just creating a "Crap I don't need" group, put all the unwanted stuff in there, and moving the group to it's own home screen so it didn't clutter the screens I actually used.
Finally, the stocks app barely qualifies as a little widget. The facebook app is a 3rd party monstrosity that takes up half a gig of storage and siphons your personal data whether you like it or not. The difference between the two apps is staggering, and trying to equate them is disingenuous.
(Score: 2) by SpockLogic on Thursday January 10 2019, @01:37AM (1 child)
I made a folder called iCrap and dragged all the unwanted apps that I couldn't delete into it.
Overreacting is one thing, sticking your head up your ass hoping the problem goes away is another - edIII
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday January 10 2019, @02:15AM
Yeah, me too. It's a poor solution though.