Useless Apps and auto updates?
WTTTT
Enthusiast - Level 2

I am talking about the apps that Verizon gets paid to put on our phones, what is commonly called bloatware here.  Even if I never use any of them they are constantly notifying me of available updates.  I get tired of the notifications, but can not turn them off unless I turn off ALL update notices.  Then I don't get the updates for the apps I have installed myself.  I have finally given in to the nagging by Verizon and decided to let their spammy apps update automatically so at least I don't constantly have 8 or 10 waiting for me to update individually and manually.  Thing is that even though I have all the spam apps set to update automatically, they don't.

These unwanted, unused, apps are my number one complaint about Verizon.  Can anyone suggest a procedure for this so that basically I am never nagged again about an unwanted garbage app update?

Thanks.

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Re: Useless Apps and auto updates?
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

Personally I turned off the notifications from the Play Store and got into a habit of checking once a week or so for updates on the applications I want updated.

My Thunderbolt has 11 pre-installed applications that haven't been updated since day one.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: Useless Apps and auto updates?
WTTTT
Enthusiast - Level 2

Yeah, as I noted in my question, this is an option.  It is an option I don't like however as I have several apps that I use and like the ability to automatically keep them up to date. 

What I was hoping there was a way to do is to get the apps I never use to automatically update too.  That way at least I would not be constantly nagged by them.  I HAVE checked the auto update box on all of them, but they still do not update automatically for some reason.

I suspect this is might be because I have never, (and of course, will never), used them.  Maybe before an app will follow instructions to automatically update, it has to have been used at least once??

Or maybe, more disturbingly, Verizon does not allow these trashy apps to auto update even if the auto update box is checked.  Maybe Verizon knows that the only hope they have of getting anyone to use these apps is to force people to deal with them one at a time, manually?

Any ideas?

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Re: Useless Apps and auto updates?
jco23
Contributor - Level 3

there is a method, but mentioning it is a violation of this forum, as it voids the warranty on your device.

Re: Useless Apps and auto updates?
AZSALUKI
Legend

as jco23 mentioned, they can be removed entirely, but you will have to google the issue as we can't discuss it on this forum. if have NO unwanted apps on my phone. it does void the warranty, but unless you have an extended warranty, you may be out of warranty anyway (since the charge is more than a year old....but i'm not sure when you got it).

Re: Useless Apps and auto updates?
WTTTT
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thanks - Yes, I know about that and have chosen not to do it mainly because of warranty/insurance and because the instructions are too complicated.  But.....  

It may be my fault that I am not making my question, and reason for this thread, clear:  My phone is always notifying me that I have updates available. When I open that notification there is a list, (right now there are 8), a list of "Manual Updates"  These are all Verizon Installed Apps, that I do not use and will never use.  Things like Verizon Tones, Media Hub and Blockbuster for Samsung.  The only way I can find to update these and stop the nagging is to update each on manually, one at a time.  Every one of them does have the box to "Allow automatic updating" checked.  Why won't they update automatically like the apps I have installed do?

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Re: Useless Apps and auto updates?
AZSALUKI
Legend

i'm not positive about this, but i believe some apps don't have the capability of automatic updates (even if the box is there to check). it sounds like this is the case for all of the preinstalled bloat.

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Re: Useless Apps and auto updates?
WTTTT
Enthusiast - Level 2

That is what I was suspecting.  I wonder if Verizon disables the auto update capability on their "bloat" because they figure if you have to deal with each one in the time consuming manual way, maybe there is more of a chance you will use the apps?  If so that seems crazy.  All it does is make customers angry that they have to waste time updating each one individually to get the nagging to stop.

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Re: Useless Apps and auto updates?
jco23
Contributor - Level 3

I did find a legal way - you can turn off auto background data - but then you won't get any notifications about app updates.  each time you go into the Play store, you'll need to enable it.

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Re: Useless Apps and auto updates?
WTTTT
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thanks as noted above that works but is not what I want.  I want all my purposely installed apps to auto update as they do.  I just wanted the bloatware to do the same so I did not have to constantly have to deal with the nagging and update them manually.  For not I guess we will just have to let the nag sit forever in our notification list.

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