What apps come pre-installed on a Google Pixel cellphone?

Bloatware stays an unstated drawback with fashionable smartphones, however solely as a result of it has been round ceaselessly, and each carriers and cellphone makers appear reluctant to cast off it. In some instances, they’ve paid partnerships to take care of, and if not, they could nonetheless need you to be hooked on as many first-party providers as doable. An $800 cellphone is nothing in comparison with the worth of getting you locked into a complete ecosystem.

Some individuals completely detest bloatware, so it is price investigating what any new cellphone you are shopping for may be saddled with. On the subject of Google’s Pixel telephones, just like the Pixel 9 lineup, the information might be good — however that is dependent upon your expectations.

What’s bloatware?

First, here is the definition

By bloatware, individuals normally imply apps that come pre-installed on a tool however do not serve important features. Cellphone, e mail, internet looking, and textual content messaging apps are mechanically excluded from bloatware, since you would be deservedly upset for those who needed to go obtain them your self. Likewise, it would be unusual if there was no preloaded navigation app — that is how many people get to the shops the place we’ll really purchase their units.

What we do not want are subscription or ad-supported music and video providers, for instance, particularly if they are not from the corporate that designed the cellphone or working system. Another examples of bloatware may embrace exercise apps or buying apps. Everybody wants to have the ability to obtain new software program — few individuals need to purchase issues by way of their provider.

There’s some subjectivity concerned, as you may think. You do not want YouTube, Fb, or TikTok in your cellphone, however these are such ubiquitous components of on-line life that you just may admire them being pre-installed.

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Which apps come pre-installed on a Google Pixel cellphone?

The standard suspects

As a rule, you’ll be able to anticipate all of Google’s core apps, but additionally a number of that do not at all times present up on different units. I will flag a few of these as we come throughout them, in addition to fundamental descriptions in case you are new to Android or smartphones generally.

• Cellphone: The dialer.
• Google Messages: Used for SMS, MMS, and RCS texting.
• Digicam: For capturing photographs and video.
• Calculator: For these of us who aren’t gifted at math.
• Recordsdata: The way you handle locally-stored recordsdata that are not photographs.
• Settings: The nerve middle for controlling Android.
• Google Images: Regardless of its identify, this manages each photograph and video libraries. Media is synced to the cloud, so make sure you keep throughout the storage limits of your Google One subscription. If you do not have Google One, you will get 15GB unfold throughout each Google service.
• Gmail: You are normally anticipated to make use of this with Google’s namesake e mail platform, however what you might not know is that you may connect some third-party email services corresponding to Yahoo, AOL, Outlook, and Hotmail.
• Chrome: Google’s internet browser. If you’re signed in to your Google Account, gadgets like bookmarks, passwords, and fee playing cards will usually sync with Chrome on different units, so long as you are signed in there as effectively.
• Google Drive: Google’s cloud file locker. This is without doubt one of the first issues which may rely as bloat — you are free to make use of different cloud storage choices or none in any respect.
• Google Maps: The default for navigating by automotive, foot, bicycle, and different means. You may also use it to seek for companies and their related data, corresponding to working hours.
• Google Pockets: You should use Wallet for on-line and retail purchases for those who’ve linked a fee methodology corresponding to a bank card. You may also add gadgets like loyalty playing cards, boarding passes, and occasion tickets, so long as the skin celebration affords Pockets help.
• Clock: Largely for setting alarms, timers, and stopwatches, however you can too set a sleep schedule, placed on ambient sleep noise, and test timezones all over the world.
• Gemini/Assistant: Google’s AI voice assistants. Assistant is the corporate’s “legacy” voice choice, shortly being changed in lots of areas by Gemini, which relies on generative AI. Some issues do not but work in Gemini although, particularly for those who’re controlling a Google House gadget like a Nest Hub.
• Google Calendar: Fairly self-explanatory, however you can too create duties, set up conferences, and import reservations from sources like Gmail.
• Contacts: Your private Rolodex. You should definitely hold this edited and up-to-date to keep away from chaos with apps and voice instructions.
• Recorder: Use this to report voice memos and different content material, full with transcriptions.
• YouTube: Google’s free video add/streaming service may be thought-about bloat by some individuals, as I discussed earlier.
• YouTube Music: Should you simply need to take heed to music on YouTube, this allows you to try this, however you will have to pay for a YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium plan to unlock all options.

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Are you able to do away with undesirable Pixel apps?

It is just a little sophisticated

Probably, however some apps — corresponding to Cellphone and Settings — are so important that they can not be touched. You’d paralyze Android for those who deleted Settings. With apps that are not mission-critical, you will need to experiment, trying to delete them one-by-one. Apps that may be eliminated can at all times be re-downloaded later from the Google Play Retailer.

If an app cannot be deleted, corresponding to Calculator, it is generally doable to disable it for those who actually cannot stand the sight of it in your homescreen. Observe these steps to strive:

1. Lengthy press on the app’s icon.
2. Choose App data within the pop-up menu.
3. Faucet Disable if the choice is obtainable.
4. Within the subsequent pop-up, faucet Disable app to substantiate.

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