iOS is locked down? Android gives you freedom? Carrier crapware on Android

[kdarling]

I wonder how much Microsoft paid to have Bing as an exclusive.

It was obviously enough to sway a few execs in Samsung and/or Verizon.

Too bad there's not a lot of investigative journalism for business. Someone should print the names of these decision makers.

 

[chagla]

some links -

http://nokiausa.com

http://www.amazon.com/Unlocked-Phones-Accessories-Cell/b/ref=sv_cps_4?ie=UTF8&node=283273011

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=227&name=No-Contract-Phones

I suppose most of you are from the US, thus are unfamiliar with "unbranded" mobile phones. Some may have "unlocked" a phone which only allows you to use a different SIM card.

Unbranded phone of course you will have to buy at retail price. In most of the world, you buy your phone first, then you choose your service. Here in the states, you choose your service/carrier first, then the phone specific to the operators network.

Unbranded phones are factory unlocked. They come with 0, ZERO crap/bloatware. Example - If you get Nokia E71x, (specific to at&t), it's a crippled device whereas if you were to get Nokia E71, you have an unbranded device. Also unbranded phones get more frequent updates directly from manufacturer. carrier specific phone models are left at the mercy of the operator.

My advice, if you don't like bloat/crap ware, get an unbranded phone. By paying a little less for a carrier branded phone you are - locking yourself to a contract, settling for a phone with loads of crapware.

 

[ChazUK]

My advice, if you don't like bloat/crap ware, get an unbranded phone. By paying a little less for a carrier branded phone you are - locking yourself to a contract, settling for a phone with loads of crapware.

Whilst that is all good advice, where or how does someone go about getting a CDMA handset from the Galaxy-S family without being molested by a carrier somehow?

It's great for us that use GSM, we can pop any old sim in a factory unlocked Android handset (like my Nexus One for example) and off we go but for those that use a CDMA network, their options are limited.

Stuff like this is infuriating too. Networks releasing handsets with pretty much no customisation then releasing an "update" that brands the hell out of the phone and ruins the experience for many owners.

If only there was a phone available with a carrier subsidy that was never going to get ruined by greedy carriers via dodgy software updates or customisation....

 

[Interstella5555]

While iOS doesn't have bloatware (if you ignore the pre-installed Apps that you can't remove), so much of the design is influenced by just one carrier (AT&T).

Apple is screwing over their customers worldwide by pandering to the needs and whims of just one carrier in one of their markets.

AT&T had nothing whatsoever to do with iOS or any of the software on the phone. They didn't even see a prototype of the device until, what, 60 days before launch?

 

[Daveoc64]

AT&T had nothing whatsoever to do with iOS or any of the software on the phone. They didn't even see a prototype of the device until, what, 60 days before launch?

Apple worked very closely with Cingular on the iPhone.

They had to get things like Visual Voicemail working.

 

[kdarling]

AT&T had nothing whatsoever to do with iOS or any of the software on the phone. They didn't even see a prototype of the device until, what, 60 days before launch?

If you recall, the phone wasn't put on sale until June, six months after it was revealed to the general public in January. Plenty of time to muck with it, if they had wished

Apple worked very closely with Cingular on the iPhone. They had to get things like Visual Voicemail working.

Visual Voice Mail is just a carrier-side API. No need for Cingular to see the client phone at all.

All that said, I don't think ATT had much input on the first model... except for perhaps telling Apple that leaving out 3G and GPS was okay, even though those were common items on other smartphones at the time.

Later, ATT admitted to giving Apple advice on what apps to restrict to WiFi.

 

[lush242000]

One other thing. A ATT Blackberry comes loaded with all kinds of crapware. You can not delete it, but you can move it to a folder and hide it.

 

[aohus]

if this is the business model the carriers/handset makers want to push, then this will only be good news for Apple and expanding their market.

My opinion: Carriers/handset makers need to adjust their business models. It will only bite them in the ass in the future.

 

[ohaithar]

I like the openness of the Android, but IMO it's too open. The android marketplace is absolute crap. Made me love the App Store even more.

 

[wirelessmacuser]

+1, plus we can easily hide the apple stock apps in a folder off the main screen anyway without too much effort

This applies to Android as well. AT&T's apps simply sit there idle.

They don't use any resources, they are easily hidden from sight, so it's a non-issue.

Both my iPhone 4 and Samsung Captivate are excellent smartphones, just different.

It's as simple as that. Nothing to get all emotional about...