Hide or uninstall pre-loaded apps on Galaxy Watch 4 Classic

ultrarunner2020

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Feb 26, 2021
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Hello;
I purchased a Galaxy A51 phone (Tracfone) and a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic last December. Since then, I have been frustrated by the amount of 'bloatware' and apps that simply do not function properly.
For example, the Samsung Health app does not work well enough to give me any useful data. Attempting to use it at all always results in frustration, and removal of the watch from my wrist.

I would like to be able to at least hide the unused apps on the watch screen, as well as on the phone. But it appears that this Samsung model(s) are 'locked' with pre-installed apps being a permanent fixture - like it or not.

The only use I now get from the watch is to start and stop the music on the A51 phone (through PowerAmp), and occasionally to know the time of day without looking at the phone.

Perhaps some owners of these devices are not bothered by the clutter of apps on the screen (especially the watch), but unfortunately, i have always been a 'neat freak' and am finding this clutter intolerable.
I have reached the point where I am (almost) willing to take a chance on rooting both the phone and the watch (if possible), and removing the apps myself.

In the end, I may just get rid of these devices, and get a Google Pixel phone - and no watch - because I read that the Pixel phones have the least bloatware.

Edit: And it that's not enough frustration for one day; I was trying to use the voice recorder app on the watch, but the volume from the watch is so low I cannot hear anything. So I tried pairing 2 different Bluetooth headphones (one is a JBL/UA Train Wireless, the other is HiFiMAN Deva Pro) but even after un-pairing the cans from my phone, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic still cannot find them.


any thoughts on this?
Thanks for your help
Ultrarunner
 
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Yguideslou

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May 25, 2013
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**UPDATE** Apologies, wrong device, wrong forum. Alliance Shield is a phone app.

Alliance Shield X.

Been using it for years.

** Son of a... every time I put the link to it in here, and it's correct, when I preview my reply, the URL in my reply changes to the URL to Android Central home page... which is no where on my clipboard. You'll have to just search for it on your own.**
 
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BIG CAT 7

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Apr 19, 2013
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Yeah it was more geared towards the watch. But I did download that app and disable some things so definitely thanks for that info.
 

ultrarunner2020

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Feb 26, 2021
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How about uninstalling/disabling apps using ADB running on my Windows PC - using either WiFi or USB.
I found a couple of blogs describing the process, which does not require rooting.

Thing is, are the uninstalled/disabled apps going to return the next time the watch is updated? That has been my experience with mobile devices.