AT&T Pushes Out a Bloatware Infested Update to Samsung Galaxy S5 That is NOT Lollipop

[dgstorm]

For the whole two people on the planet who love bloatware on their AT&T devices, then the latest update to Samsung's Galaxy S5 will make you happy. For the rest of us, this update to the Galaxy S5 is a strange one. It's NOT Lollipop, but is instead just another version of KitKat, Android 4.4.4.

We have to give it credit, the update does add AT&T's voice over LTE, which they call HD Voice, but that's hardly the upgrade owners of the device were expecting. The update should be pushing out to the Galaxy S5, SM-G900A, version shortly.

Source: AT&T

 

[bsweetness]

It's surprising how far AT&T is lagging behind on this one. The Verizon S5 received 4.4.4 (with VoLTE) nearly 5 months ago and is now receiving 5.0.

It's great to see Verizon being much more timely with updates, but it's awful to see AT&T slipping with them.

 

[cr6]

Yeah, it's like the two companies have completely flip flopped in terms of OS updates. Strange.

S5 tap'n

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Right?! We've slipped into an alternate dimension.

 

[bsweetness]

Yeah, it's like the two companies have completely flip flopped in terms of OS updates. Strange.

I wonder if Samsung is putting on a priority on updates for Verizon in the U.S.

Verizon's S5 was the first carrier-branded variant in the U.S. to receive 4.4.4 and 5.0. If Verizon's Note 4 (and/or Note Edge) is the first to see a 5.0 update in the U.S., it would start to seem pretty clear that there is an emphasis on getting Verizon's updates done first. If all of the carriers were getting them around the same time, Verizon's would still be pushed out last due to their lengthy testing process.

 

[mountainbikermark]

My Note4 came with 4 4.4 and got the AT&T mega bloatware update back in December.

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[New2u]

I still don't understand the whole rational reasoning behind why they lock the bloatware into the system. Whether it ships with the unit, is never used, and disabled, or whether they allow you to just remove it from the phone, it still has the same effect but one they just don't allow you to remove it. I understand that shipping it and whatever they get revenue but those of us who never touch it, will never touch it. Serves no purpose imo.

 

[FoxKat]

I still don't understand the whole rational reasoning behind why they lock the bloatware into the system. Whether it ships with the unit, is never used, and disabled, or whether they allow you to just remove it from the phone, it still has the same effect but one they just don't allow you to remove it. I understand that shipping it and whatever they get revenue but those of us who never touch it, will never touch it. Serves no purpose imo.

I agree completely, but I suspect perhaps that it's part of the revenue stream requirements, in other words the bloat has a stipulation that it must remain on the phone or they won't pay whatever royalties they are paying.

Sent from my Droid Turbo on Tapatalk.

 

[mountainbikermark]

Evernote was added to mine and the disable option is grayed out. Yeah I think that one is about the Benjamins for sure.

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[jackiescivic]

Right?! We've slipped into an alternate dimension.

No, that would be if Verizon changed their mind and let unlimited users keep their plan ;-)

Sent from my Note 4

 

[cr6]

I still don't understand the whole rational reasoning behind why they lock the bloatware into the system. Whether it ships with the unit, is never used, and disabled, or whether they allow you to just remove it from the phone, it still has the same effect but one they just don't allow you to remove it. I understand that shipping it and whatever they get revenue but those of us who never touch it, will never touch it. Serves no purpose imo.

Bloat has been a part of smartphones before there were smartphones. I remember a number of my feature phones included bloat, but people didn't mind back then, at least not the way they do these days.
Personally I'm one of those folks that actually use some of Verizon's bloat AND Samsung's. (Verizon Mobile app so I can check on my acct and pay my bill and Samsung's SHealth just to name a couple)
IMO its the Manufacturer & Google these days that put the most bloat on their flagship models. I've got twice as many apps frozen & hidden from Sammy & Google than I do Verizon. (Audible, Google Play Games/Books/Movies, Amazon Kindle app, Google Drive, and the list goes on and on)
The fact is, it's so easy to disable and hide them these days, bloat shouldn't even be an issue.
That said, I can understand them including it when people buy a phone "on contact", since technically that phone is still theirs until you've completed your contract. I do however think that if you purchase your device outright, it should come free from carrier bloat.
Phones released without Google & manufacturer bloat will never happen.
Unless you buy a Nexus, and even then you'll still have a small amount.
This is one of the reasons I'm a fan of the ext sd card. [emoji2]

S5 tap'n

 

[mountainbikermark]

Bloat has been a part of smartphones before there were smartphones. I remember a number of my feature phones included bloat, but people didn't mind back then, at least not the way they do these days.
Personally I'm one of those folks that actually use some of Verizon's bloat AND Samsung's. (Verizon Mobile app so I can check on my acct and pay my bill and Samsung's SHealth just to name a couple)
IMO its the Manufacturer & Google these days that put the most bloat on their flagship models. I've got twice as many apps frozen & hidden from Sammy & Google than I do Verizon. (Audible, Google Play Games/Books/Movies, Amazon Kindle app, Google Drive, and the list goes on and on)
The fact is, it's so easy to disable and hide them these days, bloat shouldn't even be an issue.
That said, I can understand them including it when people buy a phone "on contact", since technically that phone is still theirs until you've completed your contract. I do however think that if you purchase your device outright, it should come free from carrier bloat.
Phones released without Google & manufacturer bloat will never happen.
Unless you buy a Nexus, and even then you'll still have a small amount.
This is one of the reasons I'm a fan of the ext sd card. [emoji2]

S5 tap'n

My definition of bloatware is ones you've got to pay extra to use. Google music (Books, etc) is one,VZNav another, VVM yet another, Amazon Kindle, Dropbox unless you're ok with their minimal free storage. Those are examples of the ones I'd like to see be optional and not embedded, whether you can freeze them or not.

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[Ollie]

Tmobile has two apps on my phone. Tmobile Hotspot and Visual Voicemail.

 

[New2u]

My definition of bloatware is ones you've got to pay extra to use. Google music (Books, etc) is one,VZNav another, VVM yet another, Amazon Kindle, Dropbox unless you're ok with their minimal free storage. Those are examples of the ones I'd like to see be optional and not embedded, whether you can freeze them or not.

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I call bloatware anything that is put on the phone by either the manufacturer or the service provider that you cannot remove yourself.

 

[mountainbikermark]

To me that definition would include the dialer and messaging apps along with the gallery and others that are core components. Granted I do not use my stock versions of them but my mind sees those not being there or removable as a hindrance to sales and user satisfaction because of the inevitable dummies deleting their core apps by accident or intentionally trying to free up RAM without aftermarket replacements already onboard.

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