Every smartphone manufacturer lands numerous pre-installed applications on their smartphone devices. However, it doesn’t mean that the user, who becomes the owner of the respective device, considers these applications essential. The issue is that many of these pre-installed apps have no use for the users and don’t even have permission to delete, as they are the stock applications booted by the manufacturer itself. Due to their non-deletable property, those apps ended up being unnecessary space occupiers and avoided by the users, which affects the device’s personalized touch too.
Recently, in that manner, many users have complained that the manufacturer should provide deletion permission to those un-needy apps which they don’t want on their devices. Consequently, an inspection has been performed under the Telecommunication Business Act, which highlighted a total of 63 apps with deletion restrictions, out of which four are from Galaxy devices. These apps were found on 5 types of smartphones, including Galaxy and iPhone also. Resultantly, they came to the conclusion that these applications also need to have permission for their deletion or an action equivalent to it.
According to the Korea Communication Council, Samsung Electronics announced during an expert review process that they would push a measure equivalent to delete for its Samsung Visit In AR Doodle app. However, the announcement has been made in terms of its highly-sold smartphones, such as Galaxy S22. Additionally, for the Weather app, AR Zone, the manufacturer stated that they presented an improvement plan for its removal from the upcoming device Galaxy S23. However, the Council didn’t clarify the detailed criteria to determine the utility of an application.
The business operators have provided their improvement plans in that manner and intend to implement them also. Besides, the Korea Communication Council has also published a guideline for Prohibited Acts of the Telecommunications Business Act relating to the preloading of smartphone applications. In this regard, the Commissioner of this Council has stated, “It is important to maintain a balance so that the regulation of preloaded apps does not hinder smartphone users’ accessibility to new technologies and services while encouraging smartphone users to expand their choices, which is the legislative purpose.”
