Samsung is reportedly working on removing most bloatware apps from the TouchWiz UI that will grace the next-generation Galaxy S6.
The rumor mill has been constantly buzzing in anticipation of the new Samsung Galaxy S6 for a good while now. While many leaks and rumors so far have focused on what to expect in terms of hardware and design, a new report now reveals more details on the software front.
For some context, TouchWiz is an overlay Samsung slaps over Android on its devices, offering various software features. While such features oftentimes come in handy, they also make the OS bloated, heavy, and in need of more storage space.
According to an exclusive new report from SamMobile, however, that may well change with the next-generation Galaxy S6. With its new flagship smartphone, Samsung is reportedly looking to try a different approach and remove most bloatware from TouchWiz. More specifically, Samsung is reportedly removing any add-on feature that can be downloaded as an application. This way, the OS would remain light and clean, and users who actually want those add-ons can download them as a choice, instead of having them shoved up their smartphone's throat.
"We're unsure which features and apps will be affected by this - Samsung builds in both standard apps and integrates some functions in the settings menu (like Smart Stay). The latter are less likely to be removed, but we're guessing that apps like Story Album, S Translator, or even S Voice will become downloadable apps instead of being pre-loaded on devices," SamMobile explains.
"S Health and other such selling points will most probably stay on as pre-loaded apps, but the removal of stuff that most people never/rarely use would still be a huge move. Of course, simply removing features won't do anything to speed up Samsung's software, but combined with an optimization of code - as Samsung is said to be doing - it is easy to see just the Korean manufacturer is moving toward the goal of making its next flagship (and future devices) as fast as possible."
This news follows previous reports that Samsung has gone back to the drawing board for its Galaxy S6, in what is currently referred to as "Project Zero." The Galaxy S6 is expected to be truly innovative and boast some major improvements on all fronts compared to its predecessor, and a faster performance due to less bloatware would surely not go unappreciated. With nothing officially confirmed, however, take this report with a grain of salt.
