Windows Phone 8 offers relief from carrier bloatware
One thing I love about buying an iPhone is that Apple is able to provide the device through carriers without any of the preloaded apps and services that can add considerable cost to your monthly bill. Microsoft's Windows Phone devices may come loaded with several carrier apps, but the great thing is that they can all easily be uninstalled so that buyers get a pure Windows Phone experience. Android devices are the worst with LOTS of junk loaded on the devices that cannot be removed. In Jelly Bean, you can hide those apps from the launcher even if they are still installed on the device.
I just received the Nokia Lumia 810 from T-Mobile and Lumia 822 from Verizon to check out (reviews coming next week) and have been using the AT&T Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X so here are lists of the carrier items loaded on each:
T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 810
- 411 & More
- T-Mobile Bonus Apps
- CallerTunes
- Slacker Radio
- T-Mobile TV
- Zynga Games download utility
Verizon Nokia Lumia 822
- My Verizon Mobile
- NFL Mobile
AT&T Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC Windows Phone 8X
- AT&T Family Map
- AT&T Navigator
- AT&T Code Scanner
- Slacker Radio
- YPmobile
- myAT&t
I am not saying that ALL of these apps and services are junk and should never be included. However, I want the option to remove them if I can or at least go to an area of the store and install them if I want to. Looking at the apps above, I like using Slacker Radio for streaming music and am thrilled that Words with Friends comes on the T-Mobile Lumia 810.
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