According to Android Authority, the new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has a bloatware problem. Reviewers point out that the premium smartphone comes with a massive amount of pre-installed partner software. Apps from Meta, Microsoft, and Spotify, along with duplicate system utilities, take up over 40GB of storage on the 512GB version before the user even downloads their own data.
At first glance, that number looks terrifying. But let’s be honest: for an average user, 40GB out of a 512GB drive will go completely unnoticed. I am a regular user myself and have phones with various storage capacities, including a 128GB iPhone 16 Pro. If 40GB were taken up right out of the box there, it would be wild and critical. With 512GB, you will probably only remember those missing gigabytes when your storage gets completely filled with photos, videos, and music. By that time, you might already start noticing typical Samsung lags and thinking about buying the next model (or you will just clean up your camera roll).
The publication also criticizes the duplication of services: two app stores (Play Store and Galaxy Store), two voice assistants (Gemini and Bixby + Perplexity now), and two browsers (Samsung Browser and Chrome). In my opinion, having a choice is always a plus. If I have never used Edge or the Samsung browser, I can simply continue using Chrome with all my bookmarks. It is another story that Samsung will likely never let us completely delete Chrome from the smartphone, but this is a compromise I am ready to make, keeping in mind the other advantages of the device.
As for promotional or partner software, forced installation definitely creates a negative first impression. My father, who bought a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, immediately complained about these apps—he is not on Facebook, yet the app was already there. Manufacturers absolutely need to implement a selection screen during the initial setup, allowing users to choose which apps to unpack from list and install and which to skip.
Pre-installing partner software (known as bloatware) is a standard practice for budget smartphones to lower the retail price. While we are used to this with Chinese smartphones, we did not want to see it from a Korean brand like Samsung. However, the precedent is set, and perhaps it is time to understand that this approach to advertising is just baked into the strategy of Asian manufacturers. Fans either have to put up with it, look into custom ROMs (which brings its own difficulties and does not suit the average user), or switch to another smartphone brand free from such choice restrictions. Ultimately, the final decision is up to the buyer.