Nothing offers a fix to its latest bloatware problem, and everyone else should learn from it

If there’s one peculiar characteristic of the Carl Pei-led tech brand Nothing, it’s the propensity for unusual choices and hot takes. The brand has consistently also maintained a strong stance on privacy. That is why its recent decision to include certain third-party apps on some of its phones from the factory sparked strong opposition from users. Now, it seems the brand is taking a half-step back and will allow users to delete some of these apps — but will continue to install them on some non-flagship phones.

Nothing just shared an update on the recent controversial change in the Android 16-based OS 4.0 for the Phone (3a) series. As per the new statement, while the updated interface will continue to come with pre-installed apps, users will have more control over them. In simpler terms, users will be able to uninstall certain pre-installed apps. Beyond that, Nothing will also allow users to delete Meta Services, which is a step forward from just being able to disable them.

The option isn’t immediately available, but Nothing confirms it is working on an update that will allow users to delete the apps from their phones and aims to deliver it by the end of the month.

With its last update a couple of weeks ago, Nothing said it will continue to pre-install “partner apps,” including Facebook and Instagram, on its mid-range and entry-level devices in all regions except Japan. Meanwhile, devices in the UK, EU, and Japan will come with TikTok pre-installed by default. Nothing defended the decision, stating that the majority of users use these apps, and that pre-installing them on devices allows the apps to launch more quickly during a cold start (when the app is opened again after being terminated entirely).

Is Nothing’s approach better?

Notably, all Android OEMs that pre-install Facebook and Instagram on their devices allow users to uninstall them. However, Nothing might be the first one to let users also install Meta Services apps, which are responsible for tuning the apps — and possibly also tracking users’ habits, even with any of the social media apps installed.

It’s a better approach than most other OEMs, including OnePlus and Samsung, which only let users disable these services. But, we would have liked it if Nothing had abandoned the idea of installing these apps entirely.

While confirming the change for Meta’s apps — Facebook and Instagram, it doesn’t mention changes regarding TikTok. Neither does it mention anything about uninstalling the service that powers the newly introduced lock screen ads. However, in its previous statement, Nothing labelled them a “standard across the industry” and said these lock screen options are disabled by default and will only work once enabled by users.

Of course, if you use one of the flagship Nothing phones, you do not have to worry. Nothing reserves this treatment for mid-range devices, such as the Nothing Phone (3a) series, or the entry-level devices under its sub-brand CMF, owing to the “razor-thin margins,” that it blames for this decision.