Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
OnePlus won't preinstall Facebook apps on its new phones, OnePlus 8T included
- OnePlus will no longer bundle Facebook apps and services on its new phones.
- This comes after the social giant’s wares were preinstalled on some Oxygen OS 11 devices, like the Nord.
- This also means the OnePlus 8T will not launch with preinstalled Facebook products.
OnePlus started preloading Facebook’s apps and services on some Oxygen OS 11 devices, irking users who appreciated the firm’s largely bloat-free interface. Thankfully, that’s set to change with the OnePlus 8T.
The company confirmed to Input that new OnePlus phones will not arrive bundled with the bevy of Facebook products. This begins with the firm’s new flagship.
This marks a pretty quick turnaround for the firm. The likes of the OnePlus Nord arrived preloaded with the app suite, which includes a number of background services that can’t be uninstalled.
Adding Facebook’s wares to Oxygen OS was a risky play. OnePlus had already come under fire for Oxygen OS 11’s design deviation. It evolved from a near-stock Android experience to something more akin to Samsung’s One UI.
Although that swing remains contentious, adding preinstalled services from Facebook that can’t be uninstalled likely only adds to users’ annoyance.
Read more: OnePlus 8T review: Not enough to stand out
It seems users played a role in OnePlus’ reversal, too. The company told Input that it was its fans’ backlash that initiated the rethink. We have to wonder why OnePlus went ahead with the move in the first place.
Although users can sleep easy at night knowing their future OnePlus phones will be Facebook-free, we wouldn’t be too surprised if the firm rethinks this strategy in the coming years.
What do you think of OnePlus’ decision to leave out Facebook’s apps and services from its new devices? Let us know in the comments!