Every other day I get a Notice to "Update Advanced Features"

[ksanger35]

I could really use some help. Every other day my phone gives me a notice to "Update Advanced Features". I have a Galaxy S7 with Android 7.0 on Verizon. I've been getting this notice for months. The notice says tap to update but that doesn't do anything. In Apps, including All Apps, Include Systems Apps, there is not Advanced Features app. Though I swear I saw it there before. Also if I long press on the notification I get to a screen where there is an option to disable Advanced Features which I have done. But I still get this dumb annoying notification every other day.

 

[MYKEL61]

Same thing here. Let me know if you resolve it.

 

[ksanger35]

I believe I'm on track to solve this. Its caused by SAMSUNG. They have downloaded Message+. I did not agree to terms so it was disabled. Then when the "Update Enhanced Features Notice" arrives clicking on it does not work as Message+ is disabled.

So I enabled Message+ (System, Apps, All Apps, Message+, Enable) which required that I agreed to share contacts and information with the evil Samsung Empire. Then when I clicked on the notice to update enhanced features it actually ran. Again I had to agree to share information with the evil Samsung Empire and the update finished. After which I again disabled Message+.

Prior to this I tried unregistering my phone number through the Samsung website and was given the message that my phone number was not valid. Probably because I had not shared it with Samsung yet. I don't know if I need to try and unregister again since I enabled Message+ to get the update to run.

Samsung hires tens of thousands of PHDs. Too bad they don't work in marketing or software development. Or maybe they do. Having to accept software terms to enable software one does not want to disable an update one does not want for an application with a different name than the software update is brilliant. I would argue that all "Acceptances" are invalid as they are forced on the user in order to continue using the product they have already bought.

Dear Samsung; Rather that forcing me to use Message+ and Enhanced Features I do not need why don't you fix my Galaxy S7 Android phone so it will work with my one year old GM Vehicle's Bluetooth connection as you broke the one Enhanced Feature I actually used.

 

[anon(8453378)]

Verizon messages (message+) is a Verizon application.

 

[ksanger35]

Its possible Message+ is a Verizon app. I do not know. I do know that when you enable it you agree to share information with Samsung. Then the update notice "Update Enhanced Features by clicking here" works. And again you must agree to share information with Samsung. Most of us do not care if the issue is caused by Google Android, Verizon, or Samsung. When the three of them do not get it right, or try putting the blame on someone else like General Motors, then we are not happy. Its extremely difficult to build a product that depends on two or more organizations to synchronize updates. Almost impossible for three. And down right useless to have four parties involved. That's why pushing updates that do not allow for legacy software to continue working is really bad for the consumer. Which means it should be bad for Android, Samsung, and Verizon too. In this case the developers did not take into account the option of customers disabling features of the phone, or not agreeing to share information from applications they do not want. Also the operating system or messaging system or update service accepted an update notification without having the target application enabled.

In this case the developers of Enhanced Features, (Samsung), pushed onto their customers something 1% of us use. Rather than making my phone cute, I would like to them to spend time making it robust and less annoying and more likely to keep working well, like letting me continue to use the bluetooth hands free features in my 1 year old van.

 

[chanchan05]

Again, Messages+ is a Verizon feature. You can look at the same model for another carrier and you won't see that app. Everything youbare describing is a problem with US carrier phones and doesn't really happen outside that scenario as far as I see. If Messages+ cannot be disabled, your option is to switch carriers.

 

[monicakm]

I'm on Verizon and use Messages + (over Samsung's Messages). I like it but I don't like the constant notification to "update enhanced features". Not interested. So is there a way to stop this constant notification?

 

[anon(8453378)]

I have had Verizon messages disabled from day 1 and have never received the message to update enhanced features. Perhaps you signed up for their sync across devices before you disabled the app. The feature might be active on your account, regardless of whether or not the app is enabled. Have you checked your Verizon account online, to ensure that an enhanced texting feature isn't active?

 

[ksanger35]

Again, Messages+ is a Verizon feature. You can look at the same model for another carrier and you won't see that app. Everything youbare describing is a problem with US carrier phones and doesn't really happen outside that scenario as far as I see. If Messages+ cannot be disabled, your option is to switch carriers.

I do not use Messages+ which is why I disabled it. I also do not use Messages that came with the phone. Neither of these apps state who the developer was. There is no about screen nor author information available within the apps. Enabling Messages+ required me to authorize Samsung to collect my information, Not Verizon. Verizon probably already took a copy when I picked the phone up. Updating Enhanced Features also required me to share my information with Samsung again.

I have downloaded and use Google Messages which I prefer. Within Google Messages' settings I have use enhanced features off.

If I enable Messages+ it no longer asks to agree to terms. There is no means to deregister the application from the phone. Hopefully disabling it also disables any tasks it started.

There is nothing on myVerizon that shows what applications I have signed up for. All I see are details about our phone plan and which devices we have. I don't want to dig too deep as I do not use Verizon backup features and do not want to accidentally do so. Nor do I use anybody's cloud for storage. I use a 128 GB uSD card instead.

 

[chanchan05]

I do not use Messages+ which is why I disabled it. I also do not use Messages that came with the phone. Neither of these apps state who the developer was. There is no about screen nor author information available within the apps. Enabling Messages+ required me to authorize Samsung to collect my information, Not Verizon. Verizon probably already took a copy when I picked the phone up. Updating Enhanced Features also required me to share my information with Samsung again.

I have downloaded and use Google Messages which I prefer. Within Google Messages' settings I have use enhanced features off.

If I enable Messages+ it no longer asks to agree to terms. There is no means to deregister the application from the phone. Hopefully disabling it also disables any tasks it started.

There is nothing on myVerizon that shows what applications I have signed up for. All I see are details about our phone plan and which devices we have. I don't want to dig too deep as I do not use Verizon backup features and do not want to accidentally do so. Nor do I use anybody's cloud for storage. I use a 128 GB uSD card instead.

To see the developer, go to settings>apps>the app you want to see>scroll down to app details in store.

Here's Verizon's Messages;
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.verizon.messaging.vzmsgs

MyVerizon will not show you apps you have registered for.

Enhanced features require your info because that's exacty what Enhanced Features does. It shares the picture on your Me Card and your name so that even if you call someone who has not saved your number, your name and picture will appear. That's among other features.

 

[ksanger35]

To see the developer, go to settings>apps>the app you want to see>scroll down to app details in store.

Here's Verizon's Messages;
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.verizon.messaging.vzmsgs

MyVerizon will not show you apps you have registered for.

Enhanced features require your info because that's exacty what Enhanced Features does. It shares the picture on your Me Card and your name so that even if you call someone who has not saved your number, your name and picture will appear. That's among other features.

I saw Enhanced Features in Google's Messages too. Are Enhanced Features in Samsung's Messages+, Verizon Messages, and Google Messages all the same?

If the original Messages preloaded on phone is from Verizon, then may I assume Messages+ is the Samsung version?

 

[anon(8453378)]

Other way around, messages is Samsung and message+ is Verizon.

 

[ksanger35]

Other way around, messages is Samsung and message+ is Verizon.

Thanks for correcting me. I really have no way of knowing as both app icons are RED and both apps do not have any indication of where or who or when they are from. Apparently they don't want any credit for their app. Another reason not to use them. I recall in the late 1980's that Apple published a multi-volume set on how to code for the McIntosh. It included an about screen under a Help menu to tell us who wrote it, when they wrote it, and where to get more information. Too bad Android doesn't require the same in 2017. Surely Apple's 1988 patents have expired by now. Of course if the source were available for these apps and I wanted to download their projects I could tell from the URLs in the source where they came from. But most phone customers don't want to do that do they?

 

[chanchan05]

Thanks for correcting me. I really have no way of knowing as both app icons are RED and both apps do not have any indication of where or who or when they are from. Apparently they don't want any credit for their app. Another reason not to use them. I recall in the late 1980's that Apple published a multi-volume set on how to code for the McIntosh. It included an about screen under a Help menu to tell us who wrote it, when they wrote it, and where to get more information. Too bad Android doesn't require the same in 2017. Surely Apple's 1988 patents have expired by now. Of course if the source were available for these apps and I wanted to download their projects I could tell from the URLs in the source where they came from. But most phone customers don't want to do that do they?

Again, it's in the settings. Settings>apps>app you want to see>app details in store. It will open up the play store page for that app containing developer, revisions, date of last update, descriptions, etc.

If there's no link then it's made by Samsung because lack of link means its firmware embedded or built into the phone system and not just an added system app.