Bloatware can be a pain, with pre-installed apps from your carrier cluttering up your app drawer and taking up precious internal storage space. Now one carrier has announced that it's doing something about bloatware.
German operator Deutsche Telekom — parent company of T-Mobile US — is letting customers skip preinstalled carrier apps. In a recent blog post, DT explains that it's allowing customers to opt out of bloatware in order to give them more freedom of choice and more timely updates.
Now when DT customers start up their new device for the first time, they'll be presented with their carrier's recommended apps after going through the manufacturer's initial setup. They can then select the apps they want to install, reboot the phone, and then begin using their device like normal. DT also says that customers can choose to delete carrier apps and change settings in the future if they change their mind.
The devices that are eligible for this program include Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8+, Galaxy Note 8, and Galaxy S9 and S9+ as well as devices like the Galaxy A3 (2018); Huawei's P10 and P10 Plus; Sony's Xperia XZ1 Compact; most of Nokia's new devices; and all Google Pixel devices.
Operators like preinstalled apps because they get you to try applications that you normally may not install, including apps from companies that the carriers partner with, but it can be annoying because they clutter up your phone and often can't be deleted. This is a pretty awesome move by Deutsche Telekom, and hopefully it's something that we'll see more carriers adopt in the future.