Most of us are aware of bloatware, which is when your smartphone comes preloaded with third-party apps. Today details of a Verizon effort to get even more apps onto your device when you first buy it have leaked.
Verizon has allegedly offered to install apps from retailers and finance brands, among other companies, on the home screen of new smartphones upon first boot. That's according to advertising agency execs speaking to Ad Age, who say that Verizon was asking for between $1 and $2 for each device that their clients’ apps would be installed on.
The goal with this strategy to get your app onto a lot of new phones. Verizon offered to install the apps on Android phones because of the way that carriers can customize them.
Verizon reportedly started offering these app installation deals in late 2015. Verizon declined to comment on today’s report.
These app install deals could make Verizon a nice chunk of change with minimal effort on its part. There are limitations to this type of deal, though, like how the customer could just delete the app that the brand paid to have installed without even launching it. The apps also can’t be targeted at certain consumers, and the move could end up frustrating or upsetting Verizon’s customers.
Interestingly, ad agency execs say that Verizon’s offering is unique among the carriers.
