I guess it is bound to happen. You grant your cell phone provider (and many apps) access to your phone and strange things happen. I now have apps on my Verizon phone, that were not there when I purchased it. I have absolutely no use for probably 3/4 of them but Verizon tells me they can't be uninstalled. And I know that when I select apps to uninstall, they are not listed. Any tricks to how these apps might be deleted?On the other hand, apps that I liked and used have suddenly disappeared. I really liked the app, first named places and then changed to local, that we used to look up any number of things when we were in, or coming into, a strange town. Now it seems to be gone. I can still use google maps to find places but it doesn't work as smoothly in my opinion. I tried downloading an app, called local places I think, but I could not get it to work like I was hoping. For instance, say I was going to Des Moines, I could use places to look up restaurants, specific stores, etc. I just had to input "VFW in Des Moines area". With the one I downloaded all it gives me is stuff with in fifty miles of my current location. Are you aware of another app that would work like local did or is there some way to change the setting on other apps that purport to do the same thing.

jrs1871 wrote:I guess it is bound to happen. You grant your cell phone provider (and many apps) access to your phone and strange things happen. I now have apps on my Verizon phone, that were not there when I purchased it. I have absolutely no use for probably 3/4 of them but Verizon tells me they can't be uninstalled. And I know that when I select apps to uninstall, they are not listed. Any tricks to how these apps might be deleted?On the other hand, apps that I liked and used have suddenly disappeared. I really liked the app, first named places and then changed to local, that we used to look up any number of things when we were in, or coming into, a strange town. Now it seems to be gone. I can still use google maps to find places but it doesn't work as smoothly in my opinion. I tried downloading an app, called local places I think, but I could not get it to work like I was hoping. For instance, say I was going to Des Moines, I could use places to look up restaurants, specific stores, etc. I just had to input "VFW in Des Moines area". With the one I downloaded all it gives me is stuff with in fifty miles of my current location. Are you aware of another app that would work like local did or is there some way to change the setting on other apps that purport to do the same thing.in the case of the iPhone each time apple upgrades the OS that upgrade includes new system apps. sometimes the "new" app is merely renamed, sometimes a new app is created from an existing app and sometimes the new app is just new. android probably does the same. as to how to delete those pesky system apps...a google search turned up lots of information about that. personally I simply group all of those unwanted apps into a separate folder and place that folder on the last page of our iPhones. in the case of disappearing apps, again referencing apple products since that is what we use, once you download an app it remains in your account until deleted. your account is managed thru the iTunes on your PC/Mac. if you have synced your iPhone using iTunes it is a simple matter to reinstall the missing app to your phone.

(I'm assuming you have an Android, which may or may not be true)For the apps that you can't uninstall, sounds like you're referring to "bloatware" - stuff you don't want/need, but can't get rid off. VZ Navigator is a prime example. If you got an update to your phone you might find new bloatware has been added. Depending on which version of the OS you have you may be able to disable these or if you get a new launcher you can hide them so you never have to see them.Google Local (née Places) is now part of Google+. Google has a habit of revamping their apps, renaming them, integrating them, retiring them with little or no warning. That's just the way they do things. Yelp is a very popular app that has similar capabilities to the old Places/Local.

Go to manage apps, select each app you do not want and select it, you should find buttons to force stop, clear data and,disable. Select disable. Thats the best you can do. At least it stops the bloatware from downloading updates wasting your time and bandwidth.

Yes I do have an android phone. VZ Navigator is a prime example of the bloatware but there is a whole bunch of that garbage that I will never use. I will check out Yelp. I will also see if I can hide the unwanted garbage. The first 1 1/2 pages of apps is stuff I don't or won't use. Even though it won't be gone, just not having to page through it every time I am looking for an app would be a plus.

Your home screen should only have apps you use and you can hide the rest in the apps list pages (usually sorted alphabetically). While I have a bunch of useless/crappy apps I never see them as the apps I do use are right on one of the 3 home pages I can swipe through.I will try that blotware trick mentioned above but I have found that many did not have a disable option when I checked in the past. If you try to uninstall it says "uninstall updates" and that does nothing except allow it to download the updates again!

Apps appear and disappear like magic | Good Sam Community

JaBob
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
Isn't it amazing how apple can be blamed for a phone problem when post didn't mention supplier.

Bob
1492
Moderator
Jul 30, 2013
Firefox Browser for Android should work with most any current Android phone. I use it with both my smartphones and tablets, especially for moderating the forums as it easily lets me copy and paste shortcuts into posts, from separate tabs. Have had problems doing so in all other Android based browsers I've tried except Firefox.
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Jul 30, 2013
Android! Have it on mine as well.
rockhillmanor
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
1492 wrote:
In the meantime, you can just remove those Android app shortcuts you don't use by pressing on the icon, and dragging into the delete trash icon that appears. Doesn't delete them permanently, just removes clutter from your screens. You can always restore them from your All Apps folder.

I also don't have a data plan with my Verizon phones, and charged per use. I've found the free Widgetsoid a handy app that allows you to toggle on/off specific phone functions easily from your screen. You can select from a variety of controls, and have set mine to those I use most often. Namely WiFi, Bluetooth, Mobile Data, Vibrate(ringer off), and Airplane Mode. The mobile data function will prevent any app from using any when turned off. The widgets can be placed anywhere on your screen.

There are also free apps that can monitor specific data usage from each app. I've used the free Traffic Monitor in the past but don't have it installed in my current phones.

I've ditched my iPhone and looking to buy a new smart phone which I will not add any apps to it.

I see a firefox logo on your phone. I didn't know you could have firefox as a browser which I absolutely love on my laptop.
Which smart phones can you have firefox? Tks.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jul 30, 2013
They bundle a bunch of apps and more come in with every update it seems.. I too would like to blow some of 'em to digital well... you know where.

But there is a way to get rid of 'em but it has risks, you need to "Root" the phone, I won't tell you how to do that as, Well as I said, it has risks.

Major PITA far as I'm concerned.. I"d like to see bundled apps outlawed.
bcsdguy
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
Phone clean seems to help a lot for iphones, ipods, ipads. Here is a download link Cnet downloads
1492
Moderator
Jul 30, 2013
In the meantime, you can just remove those Android app shortcuts you don't use by pressing on the icon, and dragging into the delete trash icon that appears. Doesn't delete them permanently, just removes clutter from your screens. You can always restore them from your All Apps folder.

I also don't have a data plan with my Verizon phones, and charged per use. I've found the free Widgetsoid a handy app that allows you to toggle on/off specific phone functions easily from your screen. You can select from a variety of controls, and have set mine to those I use most often. Namely WiFi, Bluetooth, Mobile Data, Vibrate(ringer off), and Airplane Mode. The mobile data function will prevent any app from using any when turned off. The widgets can be placed anywhere on your screen.

There are also free apps that can monitor specific data usage from each app. I've used the free Traffic Monitor in the past but don't have it installed in my current phones.
mlts22
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
Rooting the device also allows you to block the network connectivity of the worst offenders that you don't use. I use Droidwall, but Root Firewall Pro is good too. That way, you can also limit apps to just working on Wi-Fi as well as blocking completely.

I use Titanium Backup for the app disabling and uninstalling. Requires root, but does a great job at backing up data.
strollin
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
If you really wish to remove the bloatware then it requires rooting the device. Once you have root access you can delete whatever you want.
rockhillmanor
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
I did not get the data package. So I paid for all data used.
I kept getting these giant bills for data.

Turns out the apps free or not have access to your phone and update/access at will. Those of you who don't pay for data don't know 'just how much' they are accessing your phone.

The last bill I got had 10 pages of data used for one month and all of it was the apps. :E

I tried the info I got here to go in and shut them off. Only thing is not all of them are listed in that function. By design I am assuming.:(

99.99% of users get the unlimited data plan so they do NOT ever know just what all is accessing their phones. I'm glad I paid for my data, sure gave me a BIG BIG insight of all what is being accessed by big brother rotten apple.

Oh ya, and BTW those of you who have picked a certain amount of data per month package.......you'd be shocked to see how much of your data the apps are using up on you.