Samsung Galaxy S6 users may be given the chance to remove all pre-installed software from their devices. Whilst previous handsets have come with non-removable apps, new legislation from South Korea could mean that the practice could become a thing of the past. The new law says that all apps preloaded onto smartphones must be removable. It’s not yet known whether the legislation was passed in time to apply to the S6, or if it will only affect users in South Korea.
The S6 and S6 Edge are due to be released in April. Various media outlets are trying to find out whether the ruling will apply to handsets made available outside of South Korea.
Pre-installed apps, which are also known as “bloatware” and “crapware” often irritate smartphone owners as they take up a great deal of space that could be used for other purposes. The apps are preloaded to phones for a number of reasons, with some software being used to drive revenue via in-app purchasing. It is sometimes installed because third-parties pay manufacturers to pre-load it, but can mean that smartphone owners have to make tough decisions about what they download due to storage space limits.
