Why trust Greenbotke most Android phones on major wireless carriers, Verizon’s G3 is loaded with bloatware, but at least it’s somewhat easier to get rid of.
Verizon is using the G3 to test a new process for “pre-loaded applications,” Droidfe reports. Instead of installing all those unwanted applications out of the box, Verizon will download the apps in the background after the setup process is complete. These downloads won’t count against users’ data limts.
Users can then completely remove the apps through the stard uninstall process. That isn’t always the case with carrier bloatware, which sometimes can only be disabled not entirely removed from the system. (On the G3, the easiest way to uninstall these apps is to press hold on an app from the app drawer as if you were going to add it to the home screen, then drag it up to the “Uninstall” prompt at the top of the screen.)
Of course, the idea of downloading a bunch of apps just to remove them is kind of ridiculous, having to wait for the downloads to complete may only creates more headaches as you’re trying to set up your phone. And as Droid fe discovered, some apps—including those from Verizon itself—still can’t be completely removed.
If Verizon really wanted to act in users’ best interests, it’d give them the option not to install these apps from the start. As it sts, this trial is just a baby step toward curbing the bloatware problem on Android phones.
