Smartphones Loaded with Pre-Installed Apps Collecting User Data

New smartphones from top manufacturers Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Google come preloaded with numerous apps, many of which can be removed. According to a study, these pre-installed applications collect user data, increasing the risk of personal information being harvested.

The research found that Apple devices have up to 50 built-in apps, with an average of eight data types collected per app. The most data-intensive apps are the Apple Store and Apple Music, gathering 18 and 17 out of 35 data types respectively.

Apple users can remove most built-in apps, but availability varies by region. In the EU, users can delete up to 98% of pre-installed apps, compared to 88% in other countries.

Samsung, Xiaomi, and Google smartphones also come with numerous preloaded apps from various sources. The study analyzed data collection practices for these apps and found that some, such as Facebook and Instagram, collect a significant amount of user data.