Do I need to updte all my apps?

[walrus3]

There are a lot of aps on my nexus 5 I'll never use and can't delete, apps like Google Sheets and Slides. Yesterday it said there were 18 apps needing updating. If I don't update all am I exposing myself to malware? Will updating them use up more of my memory? I do update the ones I use. Thanks

 

[James_Watson]

You need not update those apps which you will never use.

 

[Javier P]

As you said you can't uninstall that kind of apps but you can disable them in settings - apps.

When disabling apps you have to be just a bit careful not to disable anything that your phone really needs. Things like Google sheets, music, books, movies, ... are pretty safe to disable. The Google app not so much. In some phones that's your stock launcher and disabling it could give you some nasty problems.

Once an app it's disabled it won't appear in your update list. And you can enable it back whenever you need it.

 

[Javier P]

You should install a 3rd party cleaning App to uninstall them

Those apps came preinstalled so you'll need to root your phone if you want to uninstall them.

 

[Javier P]

Javier, you are right most of the time. Preinstalled Apps don't always need be rooted to get removed, it depends on vendor, but it often does. I have use 6 android phones, 2 never need to be rooted to remove preinstalled ones.

What phones let you do that? By vendor you mean phone brands or carriers?

Nancy, don't get me wrong. I'm not questioning what you said, just curious, ok? Believe it or not, I like when someone tells me I'm wrong. It means that I'll learn something new and next time I give an opinion or an advice I'll be more accurate.

 

[DJantel Ware]

If I don't update all am I exposing myself to malware?

Unlikely, but not impossible. There are apps that are running in the background, expecially preinstalled ones. If they have serious security holes, they can be exploited and do some kind of harm even if you do not use them (intentionally). But as said, unlikely.

Will updating them use up more of my memory?

Heavily depends on the update. It can increase or decrease memory usage (both, RAM and disk space).

What phones let you do that?

You can uninstall all the preinstalled samsung stuff(I can on my S3). Unfortunately it is back with the next update.

 

[Javier P]

You can uninstall all the preinstalled samsung stuff(I can on my S3). Unfortunately it is back with the next update.

I've never used an S3 so excuse my ignorance. How did you managed to do that without going the root way and voiding your warranty?

 

[DJantel Ware]

I've never used an S3 so excuse my ignorance. How did you managed to do that without going the root way and voiding your warranty?

E.g. easy uninstaller does that for me. I am sure similar apps can do this as well. My phone (at least this one) is not rooted.
But as said, sadly samsung shoves all of it back into my face with every update.

 

[Javier P]

That's strange. This is from the Easy Uninstaller description in the Play Store.

 

[DJantel Ware]

But I am able to uninstall all the samsung apps. Did that to every preinstalled samsung app expect the samsung push service.
The description probably has to say that because there are obviously phones where you can not do it.

 

[Javier P]

Not sure, but maybe the apps are just disabled/turned off and not uninstalled.

 

[DJantel Ware]

Not sure, but maybe the apps are just disabled/turned off and not uninstalled.

Hm, maybe. Bothers me now, I will investigate that.

 

[Norval Baker]

love bloatware,ughhhh

 

[DJantel Ware]

I tested a little bit and it seems that it depends on the app.
What is common to all of them, when I "uninstall" them they are gone when you look them up in the application manager under "installed apps", but when you go to the "all apps" tab, there are differences. I know I uninstalled ChatOn, and it is gone from my home screen and it is gone from the installed apps section, but it really is still present in the "all apps" section of the application manager.

I found a remaining samsung app, samsungs "Music Hub". I uninstalled it, and it was gone completley, even from the "all apps" section.

 

[Javier P]

Disabled apps don't appear in the all tab. They can be found in the disabled / turned off tab.