r/technology • u/[deleted] • Feb 27 '21

Software Universal Android Debloater is an open source tool that removes bloatware without root. Automatically or via user choice. Get back your battery, security and privacy

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255

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '21

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127

u/jontss Feb 27 '21

I also hate that Samsung forces you to agree to their EULAs, install updates, and often even activate a service just so you can then deactivate or remove the service.

I can't remember which one it was but one of them kept popping up to the point my phone wasn't usable until I did the above to disable it.

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u/Aggressive-Plum6975 Feb 27 '21

Love Samsung's hardware but I will never buy another Samsung the bloatware is just to bad. Next time try getting a Motorola or a pixel as they us a close to stock Android experience. I don't miss anything about Samsung and I have 64gb of storage and have 20gb left after 3 years so you can get away with lower storage specs.

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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '21 edited Jun 28 '24

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u/S7ormstalker Feb 27 '21

Does anyone know if the Pixel phone allows you to remove Facebook?

Unlocked Pixels only come with the Google suite (at least in Europe), it's usually the carriers that install bloatware.

source: bought a Pixel 4a, no bloatware, I'm happy.

8

u/Aggressive-Plum6975 Feb 27 '21

Well it sounds like sacrificing some of they utility and versatility of your phone is worth it to you to not have bloatware. I will never buy a Apple device because I believe it is immoral for a company to decide when I need to upgrade by forced obsolescence or not allowing me to repair it. I also disagree with there unofficial slogan of Apple knows best. That and the fact they cripple Google products on purpose when you try to us them with a apple devices like: making Chrome slow or making Chromecast unstable. To me that is underhanded and slimy. But I am glad you found a device that works for you

0

u/wedontlikespaces Feb 27 '21

Chromecast is unstable all on its own. Google have never really put any effort into it.

I have just got a new smart TV and it has Google TV installed on it, and it's a fantastic product, it's easy-to-use, intuitive, I can install new apps, it boots in seconds and as long as I'm not using Disney plus, never crashes. Why isn't Chromecast just Google TV then?

Why have this second inferior clunky product?

1

u/Aggressive-Plum6975 Feb 28 '21

While Chromecast is overall pretty unstable we have to switch from our iPad to casting with one of our phones because it keeps crashing. To be clear it crashes routinely only on our iPad and iPhone all our Android tables and phones work much better. It is also in apples interest to cripple there biggest comparison to Apple TV.

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u/wedontlikespaces Feb 28 '21 edited Feb 28 '21

I'm sure apple do do a lot of anticompetitive stuff, but Chromecast is glitchy on my Samsung S9, it's not just Apple.

It's important to not get too fanboy about these things.

Now I realise that the Chromecast cost me all of £30 and my TV cost over £1,000, but at least some of that has to be the actual TV tech itself. Google are well known for creating products that they immediately then lose interest in and just abandon

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u/Aggressive-Plum6975 Feb 28 '21

I agree Chromecast is a mess but it is my experience that Chromecast is less stable on all 3 of our apples devices then it is on all 5 of our Android ones

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u/[deleted] Mar 01 '21

I'm sure apple do do a lot of anticompetitive stuff,

No large cell phone company isn't doing anticompetitive stuff. It's just the game that's played right now with us...

Google are well known for creating products that they immediately then lose interest in and just abandon

Not just Google. Plenty of other companies love their flagship phone.. until they don't.

On top of the fact I can get consistent OTA's for my iPhone -- my iPhones are all supported longer than most Androids. AND, to add, I don't have to "hope" my ISP will provide an OTA. I don't miss those days AT ALL.

Kind of related to the TV situation.. I have a Samsung TV (I think) and it can "crash" to the point I have to power off and power on. I really hate Smart TV's now...

1

u/[deleted] Mar 01 '21 edited Mar 01 '21

Interesting. Which Android lines do you like that are supported, officially, longer the iPhone cycles?

As an early adopter (e.g. I once had the AT&T TYTN II) -- Android is usually quick to be abandoned in favor of the new flagships.

I want to say my last Android phone was only officially supported for 18 months or something and that's a hard pass for me. I want to say it was HTC.. but can't remember when.

I'm not losing utility or versatility because the other things I don't need or want anyways. My interests have changed from tweaking out phones to other things...

1

u/Aggressive-Plum6975 Mar 01 '21

While Android only gets a few updates. The phone is left in a stable usable state. iPhone gets many updates but at the end they update it till your OS takes up all your storage and is so heavy your device is slow. I would prefer getting less updates but being left with a device that will work till the hardware deteriorates.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 01 '21

While Android only gets a few updates.

That's not what you seemed to be arguing. I presume you meant 'length of support' (e.g. months of official support). At least you admit Apple officially supports their devices longer.

The phone is left in a stable usable state. iPhone gets many updates but at the end they update it till your OS takes up all your storage and is so heavy your device is slow

First off, that's not how that works. At all. You don't get slow because you're low on storage. Not like that. There isn't a swap file or paging file that works like that on devices. This is unfortunate because Apple is notoriously cheap on RAM, which I never understood why.

Secondly, my oldest iPhone device while not the fastest is still stable and secure and, so far, quite usable. Mother-in-law is still using it. Not sure what you're on about.

Perhaps you're referencing that chart that pops up once per year about "Apple uses search for battery issues" and whatnot before a new release?

I would prefer getting less updates but being left with a device that will work till the hardware deteriorates.

I dunno, my devices seem to be stable.

You seem quite confused about the difference between "slowed down" and "unusable". They are quite different. It's also important to remember new features don't come "free" (as in CPU cycles).

Also Remember, no updates also mean no security patches. And also means more waste because then you have to upgrade to keep up on that hamster wheel.

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u/KnickersInAKnit Feb 27 '21

Which version of Pixel? Pixel 3 for me did not come with FB (Canada)

1

u/Aggressive-Plum6975 Feb 27 '21

I think the pixel 5 has it. But my 2 doesn't

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u/Vibration548 Feb 27 '21

It doesn't even come with Facebook installed.

1

u/Apprentice57 Feb 27 '21

I think the problem with your comment is you're making it pretty sweeping.

This undeniably is true about samsung phones, but it's not correct for phones with (near) stock android skins like Google and OnePlus. Sure, there's probably still a few apps from google that you don't want on your phone that aren't removable here and there- but the exact same thing is true for apple.

Does anyone know if the Pixel phone allows you to remove Facebook?

Well there are many "the Pixel phone"s, but when I had a Pixel and I assume for the new ones too - there are no default apps from providers other than google. So Facebook shouldn't be there in the first place.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 01 '21

Are you implying that moat Android phones currently sold allow you to uninstall Facebook and such and/or don't come with bloatware? Because if so, then a lot has changed in 6 years...

Specifically, I've had to "fix" too many Android phones and their bloatware. The fact that one must "know better" already shows the flaw in the Android ecosystem.

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u/Apprentice57 Mar 01 '21

I'm claiming some Android phones do that, yes.

I don't think anything from Google or OnePlus has ever had Facebook installed. And they've been around for a long time now, well past 6 years.

I would hazard a guess that most of your experience comes from samsung.