Software update that is not the update, just bloatware

[azzido]

Hello,
can Sony stop to insist to install 3rd party app within "Software Update" section?
Really, it is very annoying...

I am going to settings - -> informations about the phone - -> software update and what I can see? 
Sony tryig to force me to install "Apps Orange". Really, this is a section for Sony OS update and this is how it is called.
Moreover, I do not have and never had installed "Apps Orange" which means it is not any kind of update...

To update something, you need to have it installed first.
I do not have it installed, do not want to and do not want to see this kind of advert in "Software update" section.
This is simply NOT a section to promote any kind os sponsored bloatware.
Sadly the same you can see in "What's New" from time to time.
The main function of this app is to promote the bloatware but why the again the Orange's bloatware is appearing in its "Updates" section?

It is not any kind of update, only stupid try to force the customer to install the bloatware, hence I consider it as a downgrade and it should be placed in section called "downgrade" instead...

I hope someone can pass this message internally to bloatware division of Sony Mobile.
This is really too much... I feel now like having Shamesung full of bloatware and being forced to install even more bloatware on my phone.    

[Uliwooly]

@azzido

is your carrier network Orange? 

[azzido]

hey uli, yes it is Orange. 
However, I bought unbranded device directly from Sony, was not taking it from carrier. 

[CameronT]

Hi @azzido,

Sony Mobile do not push network apps to your phone, this will be a request from Orange, not Sony Mobile. I am afraid we have no way to prevent this app suggestion. I recommend you contact Orange for assistance.

[azzido]

As it is appearing directly in settings - - > software updates I assume this is allowed by Sony, otherwise how Orange would know how to interfere with Sony's UI without theit allowance? 

This should be blocked directly by Sony, for me it is clear Sony allowed the carrier to promote its bloatware within the settings. 
Settings are part of the launched developed by Sony, hence there is no other way that other company modified it without Sony's permission, Sony Mobile did it and need to prohibit this kind of situation in the future. 

[Uliwooly]

@azzido

There was another post on a related subject, and it seems that it's not a Sony "issue" it is the Network who is pushing this apps and services and not just with Sony phones but other brands too, even on unbranded phones. If you think about it, if you are using their SIM card and network, it makes sense that you agree to their terms of service, you should contact Orange directly on this, and you can also contact Sony directly >>> Local support

[Anamon2]

SIM cards are programmable, and one of the things a carrier can do is load code on it that triggers automatic app installations and updates. This is possible even if you disable third-party app sources, because the carrier can pre-load the SIM card with a signature that certifies to Android that the application is clean. Google consider this secure because the carrier has full controll over the programming of the SIM card.

For more technical details, you can look up this article by Google themselves:

https://source.android.com/devices/tech/config/uicc.html

Note the quote: "this mechanism provides a secure and flexible way to manage apps from the Mobile Network Operator (MNO)". The article also says that it's not possible for OEMs, such as Sony, to disable this functionality. It's integrally built into Android itself.

If you want to know more about it, you can also have a look at this slideset from a DEFCON talk (PDF file, 3 MB). Check slides 10 and onwards. On slide 40, I believe you can see how they managed to install an Android app just from inserting the SIM card they programmed. Incidentally, my carrier auto-installed an app on my unbranded phone as well, and the app had the exact same icon as the one in the slides.

https://www.defcon.org/images/defcon-21/dc-21-presentations/Koscher-Butler/DEFCON-21-Koscher-Butler-...

[azzido]

I understand,
however I thought this is only for pre-installing the apps on the phone itself that I could uninstall or either disable it. 

I did not know this allows carrier to show its bloatware reccomendations within the settings which are basically managed (the look and content) by the OEM, in this case Sony. 

Now understand?
There is a difference between preinstalling the app (which is not a case here) and the reccomendation to install the app that is constantly shown within the settings without the possibility to hide / disable it. Hence it is not installed and I will never click "Install" button for this app. 

[Anamon2]

I understand – I guess it means that the software update screen, although Sony-branded, is really basic Android functionailty that OEMs just brand. I just checked an LG phone, and their Setting -> About this phone -> Software update screen looks very similar. Most likely this means that carriers have a way to push these ads for all devices.

I get the frustration. On my old Z1 Compact that I didn't want to upgrade beyond Android 4.3, it annoyed me a lot that I couldn't get rid of the notifications for the updates that I didn't want to install. From some googling, I found that there are ways to suppress OTA software update notifications, but that will also disable notifications for official Sony firmware updates, which I assume is not what you want. Unfortunately, I would bet that contacting Orange over this would not get them to change anything about it, either…

[NickJP]

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@CameronT wrote:

Hi @azzido,

Sony Mobile do not push network apps to your phone, this will be a request from Orange, not Sony Mobile. I am afraid we have no way to prevent this app suggestion. I recommend you contact Orange for assistance.

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This is not the case. When I look under Settings / About Phone / Software Update, I see Lifelog and Sketch as software to install. These are both Sony apps: nothing to do with the carrier who provides the sim card. I uninstalled them originally from the phone because I have zero interest in them, and I certainly don't want them here, but there appears to be no way to remove them from the Software Update screen.