Defending Samsung Bloatware

[G+_Marlon Thompson]

Defending Samsung Bloatware

 

 I am going to do something I have never done before, defend bloatware. We all know that the Galaxy S5 will have about 8gb devoted to Samsung "Software" and to the general population that apparently is a bad thing. But Samsung made a big deal about saying they listened to their consumers and I think that they did.

 

First off the Samsung media hubs are no longer preinstalled, http://www.geek.com/android/samsung-bends-to-googles-will-removes-media-hubs-from-galaxy-s5-1585839/ Now those were not huge programs but it is an indication that Samsung is pulling back.  From what I have also read the the Knox features and the Kids mode have some memory allocated for them. And they seem to have included software that the general consumer might actually want to use without installing many other apps.

There is also the fact  that the average consumer only installs about 26 apps on their phone, I made you guys a nice data set including the country with the most installs, South Korea and compared it to the US, Canada and the UK http://bit.ly/1o8qvfO I even broke it down between men and women .Pictures and music go on the SD card, so suddenly 8gb might be more than enough memory for the regular person like my wife who only cares that Facebook, yahoo mail (yeah the regular person still uses yahoo) and Whats app are installed on her phone. 

 

Feel free to disagree with me, but I think we need to start looking at how other people use their phones rather than just ourselves. 

[G+_David Crow]

I see no issue with pre-loading software.  The problem is that it's not uninstallable.  By all means, give me Samsung's S-Beam alongside Android Beam, the same way Motorola includes Droid Zap, but don't disable the "uninstall" button. 

 

It's less common, but it also irks me when companies remove the default client for something like messaging and include their own instead.

[G+_Marlon Thompson]

David Crow  Samsung did something interesting with the S5 though for example they have combined many of the features into one hub, such as quick connect. http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13970_7-57619546-78/samsung-galaxy-s5-reveals-its-hidden-features/ I am not sure if Android beam is one of the options under quick connect but in doing it this way they are trying to make some processes easier. And I agree with the ability to uninstall what you don't want but I think that the Galaxy S5 is targeted at the general consumer who couldn't care less.

[G+_Franklin Irelan]

Lmao

[G+_Marlon Thompson]

Franklin Irelan was hoping you would put your opinion I know you are a strong Moto X guy. 

[G+_Franklin Irelan]

I think pre installed apps should add core functionality or add real innovation. anything else is only a drain on your system, holds back updates and creates lag. i think assuming that all people need these apps is ridicules. The average person downloads very few apps for a reason they don't need them, and they wont need what Samsung is forcing on them either   .They may however need the extra storage as many don't understand cash or how to direct media to the sd. 

[G+_Kevin AtrueCanadian]

the reason most of the manufacturers installed all the bloat was the early android (eclair, froyo) were not fully baked , the Google apps were not yet great.  they are so many light years ahead of anyone else now though, that to force someone to use Samsung or Motorola (others) apps is inexcusable especially when it can take up half of your on phone memory and not be uninstallable without rooting your phone

[G+_Garry McCaw]

David Crow I agree totally. I don't mind all the bloat they include, just give me the option to uninstall it all if i want.

 

Nova/ADW etc launcher do a good job of speeding things up again but ideally it could all be removed.

[G+_Marlon Thompson]

Thanks guys I disagree however that the average consumer needs the extra storage, I consider my wife the average consumer and she is going to take forever to fill up her Moto G. Franklin Irelan however hit the nail on the head that one of the real issues is that bloatware may hold back updates and create lag (although from all the early videos lag doesn't seem to be an issue). Kevin Bedford on my old S3 I actually saw a benefit in using at least one of the Samsung apps over the Google one. That app was Samsung Music app over Google Play Music. I use runkeeper and listen to a playlist while running. Google Play Music api's dont allow for this integration, the Samsung native music player does however (yeah I know its a niche situation, but it stumped me when I switched to the Nexus 5)

[G+_David Crow]

Marlon Thompson The Samsung integrative approach contrasts starkly with what's added to the Moto X (or Droids).  Moto adds a few apps with unique functions (Active Notifications, Moto Assist, Droid Zap).  These could be disabled (or removed with root) and the device would still function normally.  Samsung replaces stock apps (e.g. Gallery) and ties them together with a skin (e.g. Hub) so that removing part of it would cause errors.

 

The result of bloat, especially the latter, is redundancy.  On the S4, for example, both the Android weather .api and the Samsung weather .api are active in memory on boot, and both are using your data to get updates even when not being queried by an app (plus Google Now is download its own weather updates). 

 

I'd also point out that there are some awesome included apps, like the split screen functionality in the Galaxy Notes, and I get that they probably couldn't just give those permissions to an app in the market and make it downloadable the way Moto made Droid Zap available to everyone. 

[G+_John Mink]

I'm with most people here (from my reading).  I actually like some of the stuff they add, and am willing to give most of it a chance...but FFS, let me uninstall it if I don't want it!

 

UI changes should ideally follow this too!

 

I've said for years, the difference between a feature & bloat is the uninstall button :p

[G+_Marlon Thompson]

Great points Stew McCall and David Crow I only mention my wife's use of the Moto G in that I consider her the average consumer and even if I gave her an S5 her habits would be basically the same, that is she doesn't really care (at this time) about many other apps. I totally agree that the added software should be able to be removed but I never see articles or tech pundits looking at it from Samsung's point of view. Also I wish Samsung had data they could release on how many people use the additional features as a lot of us assume many people don't. My father for example would use the built in Samsung Memo on his old Galaxy S2 and now he uses blinkfeed constantly on his HTC one (as you can tell I have indoctrinated my entire family)

[G+_Marlon Thompson]

Kinda relevant http://www.androidcentral.com/hating-new-galaxy-new-hating-new-iphone

[G+_David Crow]

Bill Gunning and Roger Martin Quite a few of these rely on hardware unique to one manufacturer.  For example, the X8 chipset in the Moto X/Droids can support Touchless Controls and Active Notifications, which would drain the battery in many phones in a couple hours.  A fingerprint unlock function wouldn't help most phones, as only the GS5 has the reader. 

 

Good point about users being used to a given UI.

[G+_Josh Frye]

Bill Gunning

 

I wonder if Samsung and other companies could place their apps in the app store for free for those who own their phones. But also for a small price for those who own another companies phone.

 

So maybe a person who switched to a Motorola X from a Samsung Tab, could download a Samsung app that they really liked.

The app sotre already tells me if a app does or does not work on the device I want to install it on. So maybe it would for something like this as well. 

[G+_David Crow]

Bill Gunning Many of them require integration at a much deeper level than an un-rooted user is probably going to be able to install.  Maybe it could be accomplished with a full-immersion skin (similar to installing a new launcher like ADW), but I don't think so.

 

I do like the idea that Josh Frye brings up for apps that don't require a lot of integration.  Samsung could make, say, S-Beam available to everyone the way Moto opened up Droid Zap (after they kept it exclusive at the launch to tout as a feature of their new phones).  Making users who don't own their phones pay is a novel idea.

[G+_Tim Pickering]

Marlon Thompson isn't the S5 available in a 32 GB version

[G+_Johan Appelgren]

The problem as I see it with bloat and a lot of the customizations is that they lead to a more complicated and cluttered user interface. A bad thing for most users. Being able to uninstall stuff is a step in the right direction but I doubt my mother will know what she can uninstall or disable to ensure the device is easy to use and performs well.

[G+_R.C. Curtright]

Just an FYI based on a few comments in this thread:

 

"during startup on the S5, users can now choose which Samsung apps to install, whereas previously they were all installed by default."

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2567574/The-Galaxy-S5-isnt-perfect-MailOnline-discovers-Samsungs-flagship-smartphone-offers-6GB-storage-claims.html

 

For me personally, seeing how they have flattened the design, and simplified settings, this is the first Samsung phone where I may prefer the stock ROM given that the GP edition probably will loose the battery save mode.? I'll pop an SD in and call it a day. Never had 6GB of apps that I can remember.

[G+_Leif]

10gb are usually more than enough. The things which really take a lot of space on my device are photos, videos and podcasts - they can be stored on the SD card. 

 

I also think that they add a lot of value to the average customer. If you compare the accessibility options between a Nexus and a S4/5 it's like night and day. And this is just one example I think. While I would guess that nobody uses all features there is always "some" additional value inside for everyone - especially for the "normal" user who wants a good and almost complete out of the box experience without having to search for too many apps that do what he wants. 

 

And there are still some things that are hard to replace. So far I couldn't find a good alternative to S-Memo, their accessibility stuff is really fantastic if you want to give your phone to your parents when you do your next phone upgrade, I really like the clipboard manager in their keyboard, it's one of a few devices who support real 2 end call recording, and they're the last company listening to a few of us people who need a removable battery. 

[G+_David Crow]

Leif Sikorski The other commenters have focused more on the replacement of stock Android features rather than the addition of unique ones.  For example, I've known several people who thought that NFC would only work between GS4s because S-Beam is front and center, with regular Android Beam tucked away behind three layers of UI.