Today I spent 50 minutes figuring out why my app could not set itself as default for www.instagram.com links. I don't have IG installed.
Turns out the latest Samsung OTA update re-enabled Meta App Manager, Meta App Installer and Meta Services. Any of which, while enabled, will result in the user setting an app to handle certain domain links, only for the users action to be instantly reversed without notification.
Edit: that's a gif if it doesn't show up correctly. I had an app advertise itself as IG but Meta kept hijacking the link handler. An uninstallable Samsung forced Meta app, that enables itself back after each OTA update.
If this was on desktop, someone would already be sued. But android? "Sorry can't uninstall system app"
Honestly, I have no idea why Samsung phones are so highly regarded in the Android world. Yes they have great hardware but their software is trash and has been trash for many years.
You don't get it. Samsung modifies Android to the extent that it's barely recognisable anymore. If you want to experience a pure Android experience, get a Google Pixel or flash your own ROM
Samsung's software is garbage and the main reason I will never buy their phones no matter how great their hardware is
The difference is, Samsung isn't able to modify for example their Windows devices like this, which is why I say the root issue lives in the OS level. It's one thing to bundle vendor software in, it's another when that OS has a feature in which you only let the owner of the device disable, not uninstall, said software.
That's because windows is closed source, duh. The beauty of Android is that you have the option to flash the version you want. You just choose to stick with the worst out of all Android versions and then complain about it lol
You're like a boomer complaining about Internet Explorer being slow
Samsung’s software is garbage and the main reason I will never buy their phones no matter how great their hardware is
Amen.
Their "superior hardware" means nothing when the software is so garbage, the camera lags. The phone is full of bloatware despite buying it outright and unlocked. The phone pushes ads into every fucking app. The phone shows you a "themes" button on your homescreen, but then takes you to the store to buy more.. like wtf? I don't want to be shown price tags when I just dropped $2,000 on this phone. At least come pre-installed with a couple Samsung supported themes!?
Are you using a carrier device or an unlocked device? All of my Samsung devices are unlocked and have almost no bloat, no meta stuff in sight.
Regardless, check out methods of uninstalling system apps with ADB. If you don't have a computer to use, the app, LADB, let's you use ADB commands on the device and executes them over wifi through wireless ADB