When we start to default, buy a new phone, which has to be "pre-installed" with a lot of junk software.
As a digital blogger, I have been exposed to too many mobile phones, although each mobile phone is brand new, but every time I turn on the phone, I have to sigh: there are too many built-in software. Although the "new era psoriasis" is unbearable, there has not been a relevant regulation to restrain it, resulting in many manufacturers having to inch forward and make the screen full of advertising applications.
A few days ago, to further standardize the preset behavior of mobile intelligent terminal application software and improve the level of mobile Internet application service supply, the Information and Communication Administration of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with the Cyber Security Coordination Bureau of the State Internet Information Office, drafted the "Notice on Further Regulating the Preset Behavior of Mobile Intelligent Terminal Application Software (Draft for Comment)".
The consumer's spring is coming.
Mobile phones should be pre-installed with "junk applications", where are the rules?
Obviously, the pre-installed large number of preset applications is not good for manufacturers, and this move will make consumers more disgusted with the brand and not conducive to their own image promotion.
So the question is, why do these mobile phone manufacturers still pre-install so many garbage applications in the mobile phone?
If you really want to find the reason for this matter, we will not say it too early, and we will start from the era of brushing the machine bag and a hundred flowers.
Early Android is not so easy to use, and the mobile phone manufacturers at that time also rarely put more effort into system functions, so at that time there was a number of better third-party ROMs, such as MIUI, Flyme, Le Frog, CyanogenMod, etc., these brushing packages compared to the Android system that comes with the mobile phone, have more free, open, beautiful and other advantages, it can be said that at that time it was completely crushed the "simple" system that came with the early Android phone.
CyanogenMod
At that time, an excellent third-party ROM spread was very impressive, and at that time in the early stages of the development of smart phones, many people were optimistic about the production of brushing bags, and some technical giants even had full-time investment in this industry.
There are traffic naturally there are business opportunities, at that time some people launched a built-in application advertising platform, in short, developers only need to bind the developer's personal preset applications in the ROM package, the user will automatically install in the mobile phone after the mobile phone flashing.
It is worth mentioning that these applications have the right to start in the background, when the mobile phone is connected to the Internet, the software will be activated, these advertising platforms will be a record for the developer, and finally according to the number of activated applications to calculate the commission fee.
As far as I know, at that time, the commission unit price after the activation of each preset application was about 1 to 1.5 yuan, and as more and more people used these excellent third-party ROMs, the number of activations would also increase, and the profit could be imagined.
Third-party ROM packages of that era were almost all free, so these developers would say at the time of release: if they were supported, they would run the built-in software at least once and then uninstall it. It is precisely because it is free and developers are not easy, everyone is more supportive of this type of situation, and the scene is still relatively harmonious.
However, not all pre-installed apps can be uninstalled.
Preset applications are mostly divided into the applications that can be uninstalled above, and there is also an application that is considered a "necessary component" by the system, such applications cannot be uninstalled, and if there is no corresponding ROOT permission, it can only be "disabled".
These built-in software that can not be uninstalled are more rogue, if you swipe into this third-party ROM package, but also built a bunch of applications that can not be deleted, mobile phone stuttering, advertising, pop-up windows are common things. Although developers develop for free and make money as they should, this tough approach is still difficult to accept.
Therefore, at that time, some developers' third-party ROM packages would put two preset applications into the brushing package, so that some "infamous" ROM packages at that time would have more than 20 built-in applications, pit some small whites who did not understand, and it was very ugly to eat.
Image from: Baidu Experience
Is this money only earned by third-party developers? No, mobile phone manufacturers at the time were also making this money.
In this relationship chain, mobile phone manufacturers are considered upstream, because of their own hardware product business, mobile phones built-in system and shipments are also large, basically every mobile phone will earn a lot of commissions, such a large piece of fat, naturally there is no reason not to bite.
If these preset applications can be uninstalled, consumers may turn a blind eye, but the problem is that most of these applications are non-uninstallable preset applications, which is simply a clear attempt to grab money.
So at that time, in order to "resist" this behavior, many developers made a "lite version of the flash package", as the name suggests, this kind of flashing package is to delete all preset applications.
This matter is always "Zhang Liangji" and "over the wall ladder", mobile phone manufacturers in order to let more people continue to use the system, it has proposed a new policy: brushing machine is not guaranteed. Indeed, the brushing machine has a certain probability of damaging the hardware, but the brushing machine is not guaranteed with a little targeted, many people in order to warrant, or choose to bear the torture of the built-in system.
With the development of the times and the enhancement of performance on the hardware, around 2015, mobile phone manufacturers gradually began to pay attention to the use experience of the mobile phone system, consumer demand for brushing machines began to gradually decrease, coupled with the addition of BL locks (BootLoade, improve security and prevent brushing), raising the threshold for brushing into third-party ROMs, and gradually, third-party ROMs withdrew from the stage of history.
Unfortunately, without the suppression of the built-in system by third-party ROMs and the increase in the threshold for flashing, the "tradition" of preset software has been preserved until now. As a result, we now open a brand new mobile phone and receive countless advertising pushes from enterprises.
Can the built-in software be canceled?
Lei Jun and Jia Yueting can be regarded as a group of people who ate the Internet dividend relatively early, and the two of them have some similarities in their understanding of smart phones, that is, hardware does not make money.
Previously, LeTV had exposed the cost of mobile phone BOM (bill of materials), and declared that its LeTV mobile phone would not earn a penny of hardware, or even lose money to sell mobile phones.
"Classic Suffocating"
So what does LeTV mobile phone rely on to make money? The answer is advertising, ecology and LeTV services, it turns out that Jia Yueting's direction is right, but the vision is a bit advanced, the market environment at that time was no way to meet the needs of LeTV mobile phones to make money.
If the LeTV mobile phone is put into the present, it is foreseeable that the LeTV mobile phone will become the most fierce cost-effective butcher in the entire market, and the current Internet advertising costs are completely enough for LeTV to make a lot of money.
Lei Jun has also repeatedly claimed that Xiaomi is a mobile Internet company, relying on Internet services to make money in the future, hardware is only a small profit, and played the banner that the comprehensive net profit of Xiaomi hardware will never exceed 5%.
Moreover, it has also launched activities such as downloading application red envelopes in its own application market to help software manufacturers advertise in their own mobile phone systems and earn an advertising fee. In addition, Xiaomi is already a relatively mature Internet company, and it also has many Internet products, and publicizing in its own products is also saving a lot of advertising costs.
It can be seen that many parts of the current mobile phone profit are in advertising and paid services.
When some unreasonable money is earned as it should be, the more reluctant it is to lose.
Previously, Meizu 18 series mobile phones in order to have better sales, in the promotion of the direct play out of the "three zero" banner, here three zero refers to zero advertising, zero push, zero pre-installation, which is also the first time in recent years to see a manufacturer to take this problem to the surface to solve.
Although the purpose is not pure, and Meizu itself is eating the profits from advertising, this more radical attempt is still a lot of consumers to buy it, and when it starts in March 2021, sales have exceeded 100 million in one minute.
Reality is always cruel, in September 2021, Meizu Technology Co., Ltd. official blog @Flyme released a "letter to Meizu users", mainly talking about the pure system of Meizu 18 series.
Due to the fierce competition in the market, Meizu still decided to maintain a consistent operating strategy with the industry, that is to say, in addition to the Meizu 18 and Meizu 18 Pro that have been launched, Meizu's products will still be pre-installed and advertised, and the teenagers who once dreamed of slaying the dragon eventually became a dragon.
From this incident, we can also clearly feel the changes in the entire market, no longer the era of relying on hardware to make money, simple hardware can not maintain the normal operation of a company, or to advertise this rotten meal.
Therefore, it is simply unrealistic to want mobile phone manufacturers to turn off push and advertising one-size-fits-all.
Pre-built software will be a thing of the past, but new routines will also come
The "Notice on Further Regulating the Preset Behavior of Mobile Smart Terminal Application Software (Draft for Comment)" jointly drafted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Cyberspace Administration of China has several key points that are closely related to our consumers.
In order to further standardize the presetting behavior of mobile intelligent terminal application software, improve the level of mobile Internet application service supply, build a safer and more dynamic industrial ecology, and promote the prosperity and development of the mobile Internet, in accordance with the Cybersecurity Law of the People's Republic of China, the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Personal Information, the Telecommunications Regulations of the People's Republic of China, and the Interim Provisions on the Administration of The Provision and Distribution of Mobile Intelligent Terminal Application Software (No. 407 [2016] of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), the relevant matters are hereby notified as follows:
First, the mobile intelligent terminal preset application software refers to the mobile intelligent terminal production enterprises (hereinafter referred to as the production enterprises) preset, in the mobile intelligent terminal main screen or auxiliary screen interface within the user interaction entrance, in order to meet the different application needs of users and provide independent software programs.
Second, the mobile intelligent terminal preset application software should follow the principles of legal compliance, user first, security and convenience, and minimum necessity, implement the main responsibility of the enterprise according to the requirements of who presets and who is responsible, safeguard the user's right to know and choose in accordance with the law, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of users.
Third, the production enterprise should ensure that the preset application software except for the basic function software can be uninstalled, and provide a safe and convenient uninstall method for users to choose.
Fourth, the basic function software is limited to the following scope:
(1) The basic components of the operating system: system settings, file management;
(2) Applications to ensure the normal operation of intelligent terminal hardware: multimedia recording;
(3) Basic communication applications: receiving and receiving phone calls, sending and receiving text messages, address books, and browsers;
(4) Application software download channel: Application Store.
A preset application that implements the same basic functionality, with at most one that can be set to be non-uninstallable.
Fifth, production enterprises should improve the mobile intelligent terminal authority management mechanism, improve the security of the operating system, and take technical measures to prevent the replacement of the operating system or the installation of application software in the product circulation link.
Sixth, production enterprises should follow the relevant provisions of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology [2016] No. 407 document to ensure the safety and compliance of the preset application software, clearly indicate the relevant information provided by the preset application software, perform the whole chain management responsibilities such as registration, review, monitoring, retention, and removal, improve the service guarantee measures such as the complaint and report acceptance system, and timely handle user complaints and reports.
7. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with the State Internet Information Office, will strengthen supervision and inspection of preset application software for mobile intelligent terminals. Violations of this notice shall be handled in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
8. Where the original provisions of the mobile intelligent terminal preset application software are inconsistent with this Notice, the provisions of this Notice shall be implemented.
9. This Notice shall be implemented as of XX, 2022.
Notice is hereby given.
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, State Internet Information Office
XX Month XX 2022
According to this notice, all preset applications should follow the principles of legal compliance, user first, safety and convenience, minimum necessity, who preset, who is responsible, in addition to the basic functional software: system settings, phone calls and other necessary software, the rest of the preset applications can be uninstalled, and provide a safe and convenient uninstall method for users to choose, the same basic function of the preset software at most one can be set to not uninstall.
It seems to me that it is excellent to constrain manufacturers through policies.
After the implementation of this notice, the flood of preset applications in our mobile phones will be effectively curbed, and these applications will no longer become the "stable income" of mobile phone manufacturers, which will protect the interests of manufacturers to a certain extent and ensure the use experience of consumers. In my opinion, this notice is very necessary to implement, at least so that some mobile phone manufacturers in the earning of this part of the benefits are no longer "at ease", in the right meal at the same time will also think about the risks, since can not do self-awareness, then trouble the policy to set more rules.
But it is worth noting that interests are always a railing that cannot be bypassed, the so-called road is one foot high and one foot high, and mobile phone manufacturers always have new ways of playing waiting for consumers, after all, similar things they have done too many times. Here, I sincerely appeal to major manufacturers to sincerely bring better products to consumers and less routines.