Get this crap off my phone!

[torifile]

I just got an HTC One yesterday after having an iPhone for many years. Over the past several years, however, I've dabbled with Android and there are many many things I really like about it. But there's one thing I can't get over - all this carrier bloat and other crap on it. How do I get rid of it? For instance, this Caller ID "trial" that I was enrolled in. Or all the Verizon apps that I don't even want on my device (I know that I can hide them from the app drawer but I don't want them there AT ALL). Can I get stock android on this thing? I know that 4.4 isn't available for the Verizon One yet but I'll even take 4.3 or whatever. TIA.

 

[rozroz]

I just got an HTC One yesterday after having an iPhone for many years. Over the past several years, however, I've dabbled with Android and there are many many things I really like about it. But there's one thing I can't get over - all this carrier bloat and other crap on it. How do I get rid of it? For instance, this Caller ID "trial" that I was enrolled in. Or all the Verizon apps that I don't even want on my device (I know that I can hide them from the app drawer but I don't want them there AT ALL). Can I get stock android on this thing? I know that 4.4 isn't available for the Verizon One yet but I'll even take 4.3 or whatever. TIA.

nobody said Android isn't a big headache
i really have a hard time forgetting the easiness of IOS.
when any Android fan says: "oh, but you can change ANYTHING you want with Android",
they dismiss the fact that it comes with so much hassle that it's almost not worth it.
for example, i already tried around 10 browsers, but none is as easy, stable and fluid as Safari.
each browser is missing something. pretty much sums it up.
in IOS it always feels like they kept coming up with smarter tweaks, BECAUSE you have fewer options.
that's an advantage IMO.
BTW i'm a Windows user. never liked to use Apple as my desktop. so i'm not biased in any way.

 

[holz75]

just disable and hide all the apps you don't want to use... it's really not a big deal.

 

[torifile]

But it is. They download updates, show up in my notifications, give me pop ups. They take up space. It's unsightly and annoying.

I feel like I'm using Windows again after years on a Mac.

 

[lEssence]

But it is. They download updates, show up in my notifications, give me pop ups. They take up space. It's unsightly and annoying.

I feel like I'm using Windows again after years on a Mac.

That's why you have to DISABLE them . Disable than hide

Posted via Android Central App

 

[B. Diddy]

Go to your App Manager or System Settings/Apps menu, select the bloatware in question, then tap Disable. This prevents the app from opening, and it will not update nor will it notify you of anything.

If you want to completely get rid of bloatware, you have to root the phone (like jailbreaking an iPhone). Other options include getting Nexus or Google Play Edition phones (which do not have bloatware).

Keep in mind that the bloatware does subsidize your phone, thus helping to reduce the cost to you--so instead of paying $700 for the phone, you probably paid $200 or less.

Realistically, Android fans don't say that you can change "anything you want," but you sure can change a lot more than you can with iOS. There's no question that iOS is a very smooth, very easy to learn interface--but for people like me, it gets boring very fast. The newer devices like your HTC One and the 2013 Nexus 7 easily rival the smoothness of iOS, and I find the flexibility a huge plus.

 

[SactoKingsFan]

If it really bothers you, then you can root the phone and remove all the bloat. And you can install CyanogenMod to get the look and feel of stock.

 

[alexlam24]

If it really bothers you, then you can root the phone and remove all the bloat. And you can install CyanogenMod to get the look and feel of stock.

The new one root tool from CyanogenMod! Still waiting for support on my HTC Amaze... Its like they forgot HTC when they were developing.

Sent from HTC Note Ultra Pro on T-Mobile

 

[SactoKingsFan]

The new one root tool from CyanogenMod! Still waiting for support on my HTC Amaze... Its like they forgot HTC when they were developing.

Sent from HTC Note Ultra Pro on T-Mobile

Mostly just Samsung and Nexus devices. No support for LG G2.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[robsawalker]

Yep, disable and hide will do it. I do feel for you though, I don't think UK phones get as much stinking keg installed on them as our Atlantic cousins' phones do. Believe me, the oily ticks in marketing and in business development will be the first to be lain down in front of my Panzer when the revolution comes....

 

[torifile]

Much to the chagrin of some here, I ended up swapping the One for a Moto X. Still some bloat but not as much as the One.

As far as subsidizing the phone, my iPhone costs the same price but didn't have all of this (don't even get me started on the additional cost for visual voice mail on Android!)

 

[B. Diddy]

Apple won't let carriers install bloatware, to their credit: True cost of Apple control: no carrier bloatware on iPhone | iMore

This is probably part of the reason Verizon held out on adding the iPhone to its lineup for so long. Then they came to their financial senses and realized the sheer volume of sales would make up for it.

 

[torifile]

True enough. I am a big Apple fan for a lot of reasons but I need to be able to do a few things that iOS won't let me do easily which is the reason I'm trying android again. So far so good.

If nothing else, SwiftKey is amazing.

 

[alexlam24]

Root your device or just disable apps. Simple as that.

Sent from my HTC Xperia S4

 

[AshtonVibe]

I LOVE Android, and I Love Apple. Android phones can be most customizable. I would go further, than disable. Clear data, clear cache, unchecked notifications, force stop, disable, and hide from view. There you go. Different models, different companies, different carriers... All have different bloatware, amounts, and locations, but can be managed.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[BadHead1970]

Best thing to do is root the phone and install Titanium. That allows you to uninstall any app you want, including carrier bloatware and system apps, if you want. Best to backup your ROM first, though. Again, your phone needs to be rooted before you can do this.

Sent from my Nexus 4 with Tapatalk

 

[hodan]

nobody said Android isn't a big headache
i really have a hard time forgetting the easiness of IOS.
when any Android fan says: "oh, but you can change ANYTHING you want with Android",
they dismiss the fact that it comes with so much hassle that it's almost not worth it.
for example, i already tried around 10 browsers, but none is as easy, stable and fluid as Safari.
each browser is missing something. pretty much sums it up.
in IOS it always feels like they kept coming up with smarter tweaks, BECAUSE you have fewer options.
that's an advantage IMO.
BTW i'm a Windows user. never liked to use Apple as my desktop. so i'm not biased in any way.

Lol. No, you're just a habitual iOS user. Safari, desktop or mobile is not better than Chrome, Sense browser, Firefox or Dolphin.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[hodan]

I just got an HTC One yesterday after having an iPhone for many years. Over the past several years, however, I've dabbled with Android and there are many many things I really like about it. But there's one thing I can't get over - all this carrier bloat and other crap on it. How do I get rid of it? For instance, this Caller ID "trial" that I was enrolled in. Or all the Verizon apps that I don't even want on my device (I know that I can hide them from the app drawer but I don't want them there AT ALL). Can I get stock android on this thing? I know that 4.4 isn't available for the Verizon One yet but I'll even take 4.3 or whatever. TIA.

This is not an Android issue. It's a carrier issue.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[rozroz]

Lol. No, you're just a habitual iOS user. Safari, desktop or mobile is not better than Chrome, Sense browser, Firefox or Dolphin.

Posted via Android Central App

I was only.talking about the mobile version.
Again I'm not biased in any way but I think in this case Safari is a bit more well thought through.

 

[Paisley]

Much to the chagrin of some here, I ended up swapping the One for a Moto X. Still some bloat but not as much as the One.

As far as subsidizing the phone, my iPhone costs the same price but didn't have all of this (don't even get me started on the additional cost for visual voice mail on Android!)

Still go through and disable everything you don't use, they won't be waking up your phone and they won't be giving you information/updates. Also, i think the default for everything is "notifications on", so even things you don't want to disable, go in an uncheck if you want them to just leave you out it. It'll mostly be just googly software and maybe a couple other things from your carrier (sprint tv for example).