Matrix Leader
Android Enthusiast
I only see "Uninstall Updates" on these apps like ChatOn, Group Play, FlipBoard
how can I uninstall this junk?
how can I uninstall this junk?
-
After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.
Help Is it possible to remove this bloatware?
- Thread starter Matrix Leader
- Start date
-
- Tags
- samsung galaxy s4
dynomot
Android Expert
One man's junk is another's essential feature, but to answer your question you need to be rooted, and then you have two options. You can install Titanium and freeze them so they don't show up in your app drawer or you can remove them entirely.
Matrix Leader
Android Enthusiast
Oh no Ill just keep them then. ANYTHING but rooting!
Last time I rooted my S3 following the step by step instructions, the root worked fine, but then everytime I would open my Music Player it would FC by itself. Restoring back to factory settings and updating the software back to the original firmware didn't help.
So I'll just live with them.
dynomot
Android Expert
It's the only way to go to remove unwanted system apps, install different and interesting ROM and kernels, and generally have full access to your device. What is more it is easy with hand holding step by step guides in the GS4 rooting section.
lotus49
Android Expert
That was probably no more than a simple permissions problem.
If you really want to use your device to the full, you have to root it. There are a lot of really useful features you can only access if you root.
However, I believe people grossly over-state the disadvantages of so-called bloatware. I have asked numerous times here for any evidence that removing the Samsung software actually makes a material difference and I have been met with a deafening silence so you aren't missing much by leaving it where it is.
I would tend to agree. The main disadvantage is it takes up space.
One more thing about bloatware. The bloatware on my S4 isn't nearly as bad as the bloatware on my old Moto device. That device had a Blockbuster app installed, and I despise Blockbuster. I really didn't appreciate that. With the Verizon S4 at least, I have no such issues.
Mr. Lucky
Android Expert
Another option, if you don't want to root but also don't want to have to look at apps you'll never use… go onto Settings > Manage apps > All, and disable the individual apps in question. They'll still be there and taking up space, but at least they won't be running, and you won't see them anymore.
Kelmar
Done by choice
cjreyes666
Well-Known Member
Darnell0216
Android Expert
I got that without freezing or turning off anything.
BigRedGonzo
Android Expert
Actually, now the Uninstall Updates and Disable buttons are both available and if you choose Disable, it will ask if you want to uninstall the updates. At least it works that way on my Verizon S4.
Oh wow, so what did you do? Because I got my battery improvement solely from rooting and freezing apps. I have done nothing else to my phone yet. I guess if I apply your changes I might get 48 hours out of my battery! :rock:
Correlation does not prove causation. I had my battery life change positively and negatively a few times with this phone, primarily based on how much power Google Services sucks up.
Also, I don't find 39% after 17 hours to be all that impressive.
lotus49
Android Expert
I do.
That's about 28 hours on a charge. I've had lots of smartphones and never had more than a day out of any of them.
Darnell0216
Android Expert
That's just it. I didn't take any drastic measures. I just got great battery life out the gate. I even asked at other forums if my battery was a mutant. I left EVERYTHING enabled since I got the phone last month: all GPS settings, location, WiFi, BT, 9 syncing accounts, 4 social apps, S-Beam, NFC, Air View/Gesture, 70%+ brightness, and I play several games taxing enough to warm the battery. I get 18-36 hours of battery depending on how long I've been playing. I'm now trying to find a way to purposely kill my battery quickly xD.
So maybe goodspike is right, it's just a crazy coincidence that my battery life nearly tripled and my performance went through the roof on the very same day I rooted and froze everything nonessential? I see you're on sprint, I wonder if it was verizon's stuff that was causing the drain. Whatever the case may be, I'm very happy with the current performance of the phone, and even if it wasn't the bloatware causing the problem, I'm glad to have it out of the way (will never use vz navigator over google maps, I don't feel the need to act like a jedi with air gestures, I'm not going to create a picture book from my phone, etc)
I purposefully didn't plug in my phone last night. After 23.5 hours on battery I'm at 65%. Yesterday was though was admittedly a light day for use because I was in front of a computer much of the day. The use was mainly checking emails, texts and a little web browsing.
lotus49
Android Expert
Mine is always low by bedtime. I wouldn't dare not plug it in overnight because it would almost certainly run out in the night and then my alarm wouldn't go off.
I'm lucky if I am above 10% after 16-17 hours. There have been days when I have almost used all three of my batteries (I always carry two charged spare batteries around with me).
I continued to use the phone yesterday, including about 1 hour in the car using GPS (screen on, original Google Maps, no screen dimming between turns) and BT streaming for about 1 hour until it got to about 35%. I saved a screenshot, but I can't figure out how to download it (as opposed to linking). Anyway, 1 day, 4 hours and 41 minutes to get to 32% with 42% of the use being for the screen.