Bloatware Apps

Bloatware Apps

Part of: Prelims and GS-III Science & Technology 

Context: Bloatware apps are being criticized for taking up the storage of the device unnecessarily and affecting the system’s battery life and overall performance.

Key takeaways 

• Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), more popularly known as bloatware apps are needless programs that take a toll on your device’s performance.
• Device manufacturers introduced these bloatware apps to provide users with additional programs that they might want to use, while making money on the way. 
• Gradually, these apps, rather than being helpful, end up being a headache for users.
• Generally, these apps that run in the background are hidden and locating them becomes a tough job for the users. 
• It could be any software on your computer, phone or tablet that consumes a lot of resources like — memory, storage and battery life.

Different types of bloatwares found on devices

• There are three most common types of bloatwares that can be found on any device.
• Utilities: These types of bloatwares come from manufacturers and third-party developers and are usually pre-loaded on your device. 
  • These offer added functionality to your device.
• Trialware: Users can experience the app as most of them offer free trial modes in new devices. 
  • However, these programs keep on consuming your device’s resources, even after the trial period is over.
• Adware: These types of bloatware typically gets downloaded while downloading softwares from the internet.

News Source: TOI