Why doesn't Android OS include something to remove apps after Sprint installs bloatware onto the phones? Must be a contract thing.
Android is fully capable of removing the apps. It just requires root access, which the carrier demands not be given to the end user.
Think of it this way: a certain subset of apps are placed into a high-security folder. Most of these apps are related to the operating system: dialer, music, messages, mail, calendar, clock, calculator, launcher, etc. They are apps that are so fundamental that rarely would you have a reason to delete them.
Ok, enter crapware. Amazon tells Sprint, "hey, if you include my app, I'll pay you $$. But only if you make sure the app is protected and the user can't remove it." Sprint looks at the $$ and agrees. So Sprint calls up HTC and says, "hey, when you put together the final ROM for your phone, make sure you include this amazon app, and make sure you put it alongside Sense and Android, so the user can't mess with it. I'll split some of this $$ I got from Amazon with you."
Notice how Google and Android aren't really even in the picture.
If you root your device, you gain the required security clearance to access that protected area and simply delete the app. You also have the power to delete all the other stuff in there, which would likely F_ up your phone. That's the reason why that folder is protected, and that's another reason why end-users aren't given root access by default.
I can see a day coming when either Google or the manufacturer (HTC in our case) steps in and lays down some groundrules on how these crapware work. Ultimately if this type of app ruins the usability for a lot of people, it will become regulated. I'm hoping that carriers and third parties stop exploiting the /system area for dumping their crap.
At that point, the end-user is empowered with the choice of keeping the app or removing it. No more need for task killers, for sure.
