Forced apps after Software Update

[mlandsburgh]

Absolutely disgusted by Three's latest money-grabbing scheme that forces game downloads after a Software Update.

As has happened with all software updates in recent months, when the latest Samsung/Android update happened this morning, Three forced me to review app suggestions.

I was irritated but expecting that, so went into it, unticked everything, and was about to Confirm, when I realised 3 apps didn’t have a box to untick and were called "essentials".

Sure enough, when I closed that menu, MistPlay, Solitaire, and Blackjack were slowly installed.

I immediately held their icons and uninstalled them again.

I have been carefully managing my storage and I have been avoiding new games for my mental wellbeing (to minimise screen time and distractions). It's annoying being asked about apps every update, but I can handle it. Being FORCED to take apps I don't want (presumably because Three gets a cut of the ad money) is horrendous customer service.

3 lessons for Three...

1. Stop forcing people to review games every software update - it's a stressor for people with limited digital skills.

2. Never force games and payment based apps onto people's phones. You are legitimising apps that look like scams (even if these 3 weren't) and are just asking for people to be harmed when they unwittingly get into difficulty.

3. I manage my storage. I manage what I need my phone for. Get your mits off my phone content 🤬

[Oldandtired]

The exact same thing happens to me and I absolutely hate it.

 I do not want apps I haven't consented to being forced into my phone, without me having turned off tracking cookies for a start. Some apps throw out thousands of tracking attempts every time you open them. Why would I allow a company to do that without my consent?

It's an invasion of my privacy. I want to decide what goes on my phone. Surely that's my right as a consumer.

This time it didn't even get to the uncheck boxes stage - there was just suddenly a random game on my phone. Same thing happened to my partner a couple of days later, though that phone got 2 new apps, and they were different than mine. 

At the same time (may or may not be related) a bunch of my privacy settings were changed and the government emergency alert can no longer be turned off (with a bonus 'can read sms messages') with it. 

[Anonymous]

Referring to an earlier post can I please ask what handset you’re using?

[JonathanB]

Hi @mlandsburgh,

It's my understanding that this is a Samsung feature. If you search online for terms like Samsung suggested apps you'll see this occurs on Samsung devices from a number of service providers in various countries.

I'll happily pass your feedback on, but I'm not aware of this having any connection to Three's services.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[Juice]

Stop the lies @JonathanB. The app that suggests the apps is a Three app, there's absolutely no doubt about it. Every bit of it looks like the Three website. You really expect people to believe Samsung would use There's branding, colour scheme and layout for suggested apps? That makes no sense, especially when you consider Samsung HAS IT'S OWN app store.

Three has all the devices purchased from them installed with overlays and software specific to Three (like the Three and Three+ apps) so they most definitely can have this suggested app feature installed on the phones. 

[Anonymous]

Oh for heavens sake people like you look for something to moan about even if there isn’t anything.My daughter is a gamer (on Three) and doesn’t recognise your description of the downloads. If the network “forced” you into a situation you strove to avoid that would be illegal. With absolute respect if you have a problem with gaming or gambling then you need to reach out to other agencies and not blame the messenger.

[Juice]

You sound very stupid, no wonder you're anonymous. 

This literally just happened to me. I had NOTHING selected to download and when I finished the process, three STILL pushed apps to my phone (which weren't even options mind you) to be downloaded, which I then uninstalled. 

[MeSirG1]

This is not about people moaning, it's about having a choice about what we want on OUR phones. I did the update and was also annoyed by the fact that these 3 apps were downloaded onto my phone without my permission. I had to wait till they downloaded till I could then delete them. So they were forced on me as a fishing expedition. I don't know the apps, I don't want the apps, I don't play any games on my phone, I never have and that's not because of any issues with gambling, I just don't like them because they are all about trying to con people into parting with their money and/or their time to have adverts and whatever other junk can be foisted on them. If your daughter is happy to play them, that's her choice, go for it. I don't want to play them, or have them foisted onto MY phone, and that should be my choice. Also to JonathanB. This is a 3 mobile thing, not samsung. It comes up as 3 everytime I get another update. Ty.

Kind regards. G.W.

[JonathanB]

Hi @MeSirG1,

I can appreciate your frustration, but I do think this may be misplaced. If you've received a phone from Three, then you'll see some Three/3 branding here and there in the software, but we don't build completely distinct versions of Android, the bulk of any updates come from Google and Samsung, although we may make some optimisations to make sure features like Wi-Fi calling or VoLTE work, technical features which may vary a little bit from provider to provider. 

Can you help me understand what you mean in terms of "It comes up as 3 everytime I get another update."? As I mentioned on my last reply to this thread, you can search online and find references to this happening on Samsung phones with other network providers. 

Thanks,
Jonathan

[MeSirG1]

I can only tell you what I see. When I do an os update, the phone turns of and then on again. Once I open up and the phone us ready to operate again the "3" logo appears in top left of phone next to the time. You click on it and it wants you to "finish setting up your phone" all with 3 logo's and branding. Once you open it up there are 3 pages of various apps, with little boxes to tick if you want to download them. Amazon music, solitaire and others. I untick all boxes as I don't want any of them. Normally that's that. But the last update there were three gaming apps without the tick boxes, so when I finished they automatically downloaded onto my phone. No choice. It was all done with "3" branding, nothing about Google or Samsung was anywhere to be seen. I will see out my last few months of this contract, after being with them for around 15 years, and go elsewhere. 

Thanks. G.W.

[Anonymous]

Final fact! 👋