Question Can a Phone have Ads Not from Google or Apps ?

[zipperhead04]

Hi,

I just got a new "Obama Phone" it has Android GO 13. I can provide the manufacturer and model of the phone if necessary.

My question is, Do some phones have ads "embedded" into the hardware? Because I'm getting ads, but none of few apps I've installed are supposed to have ads, the phone came with many Google apps preinstalled. I don't think it's the Obama phone company(?). My suspicion is that cell phone manufacturer opens it to ads somehow.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! These free phones almost always have preinstalled bloatware with ads that you can't get rid of. It's partly how the program gets subsidized to provide this free service to low income recipients. You can try ad-blocking apps, but for the most part, you have to deal with the ads if you want a free phone. Sorry!

 

[smvim]

I agree with B. Diddy's comment, those Lifeline Assistance phones are low-end models that have, by design, limited capabilities. Also, the Go version of Android is a stripped down, restricted operating system. So you do need to keep your expectations down. Free phones are free because there are compromises involved. Phones cost money to make, so it's not surprising there's something like popup ads occurring.
But to answer your query, yes you can install non-Google apps. The issue being your Lifeline phone is likely to have limited amounts of RAM and internal storage -- the former hampers your phone's performance, the latter how much free space your phone has to add more apps and things.

 

[mustang7757]

Agree also