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Samsung faces lawsuit from China over smartphone 'bloatware'

By Doug G. Ware
Samsung Electronics is facing a lawsuit from the Chinese government over software, known as "bloatware," that has been loaded onto some of the company's smartphones without consumers' knowing -- prompting users to complain about potential losses in performance, data and money. Photo: Molly Riley/UPI
Samsung Electronics is facing a lawsuit from the Chinese government over software, known as "bloatware," that has been loaded onto some of the company's smartphones without consumers' knowing -- prompting users to complain about potential losses in performance, data and money. Photo: Molly Riley/UPI | License Photo

BEIJING, July 5 (UPI) -- One of the world's largest cellphone manufacturers, Samsung Electronics faces a lawsuit from Chinese consumer advocacy officials over pre-installed apps -- known as "bloatware" -- that's apparently being loaded onto some of the company's devices without customers' knowledge.

The Shanghai Consumer Rights Protection Commission filed the lawsuit against Samsung, as well as Chinese electronics company Oppo, arguing that consumers are buying phones that are bogged down with these unneeded and unwanted apps.

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Investigators singled out nearly two dozen Samsung cellphone models, some of which contain numerous "bloatware" apps that customers often cannot remove. The apps have various functions -- from online shopping to a web dictionary, news media reported.

Loading such apps onto smartphones without disclosing them to customers is a violation of Chinese consumers' rights.

The commission said it hopes the litigation will force companies like Samsung and Oppo to change their product labeling practices to include a list of pre-installed software as well as instructions on how to remove it.

The apps are unpopular with many users due to the bothersome -- and sometimes expensive -- side effects. A consumer, for example, might have to pay extra to their wireless carrier for additional data used -- because the software automatically and regularly accesses the Internet to update itself.

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Others are concerned about privacy and performance issues, and the commission stated in some cases the apps "steal" cellular data.

The lawsuit was announced Thursday, following the commission's evaluation of numerous customer complaints, officials said.

"The litigation is our latest attempt to safeguard consumers' rights after other methods failed," Tao Ailian, the commission's secretary-general, said. "We hope it will force other companies in the sector to end the unreasonable, but common, practice of pre-installing apps without telling consumers.

"This is something that is very much necessary for the healthy development of the whole industry."

Samsung Electronics is the world's largest information technology company, by revenue, and No. 4 in market value.

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