Bloatware is typically software that you don’t need or want on your device. It’s usually installed by the manufacturer or carrier. It is also known as junkware and crapware.
The first thing you need to know about bloatware is that it can slow down your phone significantly. It’s also harmful in other ways. Find out more about bloatware on budget phones below.
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The Purpose Of Bloatware On Budget Phones?
The main purpose of bloatware (pre-installed applications) is to make money off ads, which may appear at the bottom of your screen when you’re using them.
Moreover, other forms of bloatware include trial versions of paid apps, games, and music streaming services like Spotify or Pandora Radio.
At first, they offer a free trial for a limited time but require payment after a certain period. Some carriers even offer their own music streaming services that they want you to use instead of Google Play Music or Spotify.
The Risks Of Bloatware?
Bloatware slows down your device, takes up storage space, roaming data, bandwidth, and consumes battery life. Some bloatware apps also collect data about you and sell it to third parties for their benefit.
Common Types Of Bloatware?
- Pre-installed games and applications that cannot be removed from the device
- Viral ads or apps that can be removed but remain on your phone
- Apps that can be disabled but still occupy space on your device’s memory
- Apps that cannot be disabled and are not fully functional (only partially working)
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How To Know If Your Smartphone Has Bloatware?
1. Slowdown And Performance Issues
If your smartphone is full of apps you have never used or seems significantly slower at random moments, it could be due to the bloatware installed.
2. Increased Battery Usage
If you notice that your battery life is never at full power for long, even after charging, this could also be a sign of bloatware running in the background of your device.
3. Internat Access
If you experience bizarre internet bandwidth issues when you know there is a signal, this could be down to bloatware sending and receiving data.
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Bloatware Security Vulnerabilities
Some bloatware on budget phones may even cause security vulnerabilities on your device, which makes it susceptible to viruses and malware attacks from hackers and cybercriminals online.
Their main aim is to collect personal information from users by hacking into our devices through these security vulnerabilities.
Apps That Are Commonly Included As Bloatware?
Over the years, this collection has grown to include pre-installed apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Candy Crush, among many others.
Nowadays, mostly POCO, Lenovo, Infinix, and other budget phones have excess bloatware apps including, Zapya, YT Music, and Skype.
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How To Disable Bloatware On Phones?
As you know now, bloatware is simply extra apps that you don’t need. So, you can simply uninstall these apps like you do a normal app.
- Go into your Settings menu and find the app manager (usually under System).
- Find the app you want to remove, then tap on it and press “Uninstall.”
- You should see a pop-up asking if you want to remove the app completely or just disable it from running in the background while using other apps on your phone. Select “Remove” and “OK” when done.
If you still have issues, use your devices task manager app to identify what is running on your phone and disable it, then remove it.
Conclusion
Bloatware is a new term for many. But, it’s important to learn about this because everyone has a phone and budget phones are getting more popular.
Amazingly, bloatware isn’t an issue on top-end smartphones, but for any Android budget smartphone user, there are often countless apps to get rid of on day 1.
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