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Israeli-founded app preloaded on Samsung phones is attracting controversy

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Re: Israeli-founded app preloaded on Samsung phones is attracting controversy

#11

Post by rubyn00bie »

elsjaako wrote: post #5
atonse wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess is, those auto installs is exactly how they keep the costs down, by subsidizing the cost with getting paid by companies to auto-install garbage. It's the same with Smart TVs, they've gotten so cheap because of all the other slimy stuff the manufacturers do, like sell your watch data, or pre-install apps.

I've heard this theory before, but is an individual data point really worth enough to make this argument?

This is true, it’s not an individual datapoint. When smartphones, like the iPhone, originally debuted carriers had a conniption fit because they couldn’t preload a ton of garbage apps to help subsidize the cost. Apple has been able to avoid this, but for your average smartphone this is absolutely how both the manufacturer and carrier are able to sell them so cheaply.

Every experience may not be as bad as the one the OP had, but it’s surely well within reality. Both carriers and handset manufacturers are glad to sell anything and everything about someone to make a quick buck. They’ve literally been doing it for 25+ years.

Re: Israeli-founded app preloaded on Samsung phones is attracting controversy

#15

Post by montjoy »

elsjaako wrote: post #5
atonse wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess is, those auto installs is exactly how they keep the costs down, by subsidizing the cost with getting paid by companies to auto-install garbage. It's the same with Smart TVs, they've gotten so cheap because of all the other slimy stuff the manufacturers do, like sell your watch data, or pre-install apps.

I've heard this theory before, but is an individual data point really worth enough to make this argument?

You need to think about the aggregate data. Whole trends can be seen in almost real-time.

Here’s a made up example, and it’s probably not even the best one. - Show Teckno-Detectives shows a “Cameo” of Grapple’s newest mixed-reality glasses. The data shows that 3.9 million additional people watched the episode. Investment firms who pay for the data notice and buy extra Grapple shares to cash in on the expected sales bump.

Re: Israeli-founded app preloaded on Samsung phones is attracting controversy

#16

Post by atonse »

esafak wrote: post #4
atonse wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess is, those auto installs is exactly how they keep the costs down, by subsidizing the cost with getting paid by companies to auto-install garbage. It's the same with Smart TVs, they've gotten so cheap because of all the other slimy stuff the manufacturers do, like sell your watch data, or pre-install apps.

The problem is that you do not get the option to pay off the subsidy to get a clean install.

I suppose the "paying off the subsidy" is to buy a more expensive phone. Or getting a Google Pixel. I've heard those are as much stock android as possible.

Re: Israeli-founded app preloaded on Samsung phones is attracting controversy

#17

Post by pbiggar »

AlexandrB wrote: post #7
pbiggar wrote: post #6

[flagged]

Are you suggesting this software will somehow be able to make a phone explode? The pagers weren't just normal pagers with malware, I'm pretty sure they were loaded with actual explosives.

I added more context above to clarify the point I was making (which I thought would be self-evident, but I guess it was a bit more obscure than I thought)

Re: Israeli-founded app preloaded on Samsung phones is attracting controversy

#19

Post by xethos »

atonse wrote: post #16
esafak wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that you do not get the option to pay off the subsidy to get a clean install.

I suppose the "paying off the subsidy" is to buy a more expensive phone. Or getting a Google Pixel. I've heard those are as much stock android as possible.

I agree, and that's the exact point I would make. The problem though, is I want a small phone with a headphone jack (and a physical keyboard, but that's orthogonal to the point).

Many OEMs sell their flagship as a shiny glass slab with only BT or USB-C for audio, and ship 3.5mm jacks and other "antiquated niceties" like a uSD card reader, on their lower-end models.

It's difficult to square the circle of "I want these specific features, but on a phone that's not working against me (any more than modern phones already do)"

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