Samsung Galaxy S6 comes with 56 apps preinstalled, including Instagram & Microsoft OneDrive
Critics of so-called "bloatware" will have new fodder thanks to Samsung's forthcoming flagship Galaxy S6 smartphone, which will come preinstalled with a total of 56 applications, including third-party services like Microsoft OneDrive and Whatsapp.
The plethora of built-in apps shipping on the device was highlighted by Gizmodo on Thursday. Samsung's custom "TouchWiz" interface goes above and beyond Google's own native Android apps, adding proprietary offerings like S Voice and S Health.
But third-party apps are also part of the mix, with Whatsapp and Instagram joining the likes of Microsoft OneDrive. There are even six carrier-specific apps installed for T-Mobile customers, and similar variants are likely applicable with other carrier partners.
TouchWiz has been updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop, which does give users the ability to disable -- but not uninstall -- the apps.
"This removes them from the app drawer and the homescreen, but not from the phone entirely," author Eric Limer noted. "You're basically opting instead to put them in a sort of stasis, out of sight but not out of storage."
Apple does not preinstall any third-party software on its iPhones, and in an effort to rid its reliance on Google even removed the native YouTube application from iOS.
But Apple is not immune to complaints of "bloatware," as its own native applications cannot be uninstalled from the iPhone either, leaving users to instead hide them away in folders. The latest round of criticism came with the launch of iOS 8.2, which debuted the Apple Watch app -- yet another native piece of software that cannot be removed.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 and its counterpart, the Galaxy S6 Edge, were revealed earlier this month with a premium metal and glass design that critics have said closely resembles Apple's own flagship iPhone 6 series. The company also drew additional copycat critiques for introducing Samsung Pay, its response to Apple Pay.
The plethora of built-in apps shipping on the device was highlighted by Gizmodo on Thursday. Samsung's custom "TouchWiz" interface goes above and beyond Google's own native Android apps, adding proprietary offerings like S Voice and S Health.
But third-party apps are also part of the mix, with Whatsapp and Instagram joining the likes of Microsoft OneDrive. There are even six carrier-specific apps installed for T-Mobile customers, and similar variants are likely applicable with other carrier partners.
TouchWiz has been updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop, which does give users the ability to disable -- but not uninstall -- the apps.
"This removes them from the app drawer and the homescreen, but not from the phone entirely," author Eric Limer noted. "You're basically opting instead to put them in a sort of stasis, out of sight but not out of storage."
Apple does not preinstall any third-party software on its iPhones, and in an effort to rid its reliance on Google even removed the native YouTube application from iOS.
But Apple is not immune to complaints of "bloatware," as its own native applications cannot be uninstalled from the iPhone either, leaving users to instead hide them away in folders. The latest round of criticism came with the launch of iOS 8.2, which debuted the Apple Watch app -- yet another native piece of software that cannot be removed.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 and its counterpart, the Galaxy S6 Edge, were revealed earlier this month with a premium metal and glass design that critics have said closely resembles Apple's own flagship iPhone 6 series. The company also drew additional copycat critiques for introducing Samsung Pay, its response to Apple Pay.
Comments
All U.S. Carrier models will be locked and have limited radios to that exclusive carrier.
Big "no buy" for me!
This just shows the sign of the times for Samsung. TouchWiz was already a bloated, steaming pile of crapola, but now they are taking kickbacks from 3rd-parties to pre-install crapware? Did they not learn ANYTHING about pre-installed crap on PC's all these years?
Samsung's in high gear going downhill.
Wow. Has Samsung done that before?
Won't matter though as the Verge's of the world will declare it the best smartphone in history because Samsung ditched plastic for aluminum and glass.
I may be stating the obvious...but Samsung, Google, and MS seem to be always "playing catchup." And end-up producing harried, hodge-podge, clunky sw and hardware.
They need to take a deep breath and start planning a "best in class" product in each of their product lines...or not.
Yep, I just stated the obvious.
EDIT: According to the source article "the bloatware doesn't take up that much room; not more than 100 MB or so as far as I can tell.".
I find that hard to believe.
This is incorrect. Under lollipop you can uninstall the apps.
Obviously no comparison to the Samsung world. But still i wish they'd just treat them like the ibook app.
Samsung seems to have learned nothing from the PC world. You should have taken the money you will be spending on this software and lowered the price. It is one thing to put on good software that you have developed, it is another to put on 3rd-party software. Poor idea from where I sit.
You have it backwards...Samsung gets paid to install those apps. That is how the model works.
Doesn't change your conclusion though, "Poor idea..."
...uh...why do these iPhones say "Samsung" across the top???
Whatsapp can't be installed without allowing access to all contacts, so I guess Samsung has made that decision for every S6 owner.
Perhaps they'll install SuperFish, too.
It would be great if we could hide pre-installed apps on iOS. My Apple folder is full!
User yer noggin'. Put them all in a junk folder and move it to the last screen, a screen of its own.
they need the extra cash for pre-installed crapware because their new metal phones cost much more to make than those plastic POS they were pushing with Galaxy S1 - S5
So what you're saying is that the new lipstick they're using on their pig is much more expensive so they now have to put-out to get some?
Yeah... thanks for clarifying that.
The scary thing for Samsung is they seem to be following the decline in the PC market exactly.
Cutthroat pricing in the PC market drove PC prices down to unsustainable levels... so they actually RELIED on bloatware to make any sort of profit. The entire PC market basically collapsed on itself... no longer able to make money solely selling their own products.
The reason I say this is scary for Samsung is that we're talking about Samsung's flagship smartphone... not some cheap phone.
If Samsung cannot make money from their flagship phone... and must rely on cash payouts from Microsoft and Facebook... that's a big problem for them.
It would be great if we could hide pre-installed apps on iOS. My Apple folder is full!
I don't follow. Why not create a folder called "Hide", drag and drop all the apps you don't want into it, and put it on Page N+1 where N is number of active pages with folders/apps you actually use?
(I see that Cpsro posted something similar above).
How can the design lead at Samsung even look at himself in the mirror.