Bloatwareremains an unspoken problem with modernsmartphones, but only because it’s been around forever, and both carriers and phone makers seem reluctant to do away with it. In some cases, they have paid partnerships to maintain, and if not, they may still want you to be hooked on as many first-party services as possible. An $800 phone is nothing compared to the value of having you locked into an entire ecosystem.
Some people absolutely loathe bloatware, so it’s worth investigating what any new phone you’re buying might be saddled with. When it comes to Google’s Pixel phones, like thePixel 9lineup, the news is probably good – but that depends on your expectations.
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What is bloatware?
First, here’s the definition
By bloatware, people usually mean apps that come pre-installed on a device but don’t serve essential functions. Phone, email, web browsing, and text messaging apps are automatically excluded from bloatware, since you’d be deservedly upset if you had to go download them yourself. Likewise, it’d be strange if there was no preloadednavigation app– that’s how many of us get to the stores where we’ll actually buy their devices.
What we don’t need are subscription or ad-supported music and video services, for example, especially if they’re not from the company that designed the phone or operating system. Some other examples of bloatware might include workout apps or shopping apps. Everyone needs to be able to download new software – few people want to buy things through their carrier.
There’s some subjectivity involved, as you might imagine. You don’t need YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok on your phone, but those are such ubiquitous parts of online life that you might appreciate them being pre-installed.
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Which apps come pre-installed on a Google Pixel phone?
The usual suspects
As a rule, you can expect all of Google’s core apps, but also a few that don’t always show up on other devices. I’ll flag some of those as we come across them, as well as basic descriptions in case you’re new to Android or smartphones in general.
Does smart tech really add that much to your fitness regimen?
The full answer varies from person to person, but here’s my gym-buff take.
Can you get rid of unwanted Pixel apps?
It’s a little complicated
Potentially, but some apps – such as Phone and Settings – are so vital that they can’t be touched. You’d paralyze Android if you deleted Settings. With apps that aren’t mission-critical, you’ll have to experiment, attempting to delete them one-by-one. Apps that can be removed can always be re-downloaded later from the Google Play Store.
If an app can’t be deleted, such asCalculator, it’s sometimes possible to disable it if you really can’t stand the sight of it on your homescreen. Follow these steps to try:
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