Samsung to stop ads in standard apps on Android phones
According to Korean media, Samsung will stop displaying ads in its own apps that are standard on Android devices, such as apps for the weather and Samsung Pay. With an update, Samsung would like to remove the ads.
TM Roh, the CEO of Samsung’s smartphone division, has said at an internal meeting with employees that the company will stop advertising in its own Android apps, according to Yonhap. He made that statement after an employee complained about the presence of advertising in the included apps such as Samsung Pay, Weather and Theme.
According to Roh, the company has looked for “new growth opportunities” in several areas, including advertising, but is now listening to criticism from customers and employees. With updates to Samsung’s Android distribution One UI, the company would like to remove the ads from its default apps.
In recent years, especially from the United States, there have been complaints about the presence of advertisements in standard Samsung apps. This concerns pop-ups and sometimes screen-filling advertisements in apps such as Samsung Pay and Weather, according to articles by Android Police and 9to5google.
An article from Android Central indicates that personalized advertisements are shown to users if they have given permission for this during the set up of the phone. The site suggests that many users are probably doing this unconsciously. According to the site, ads don’t disappear completely if users opt-out.
The customized ads and direct marketing setting, which US sites write about, is not present on Galaxy phones. However, Samsung’s decision does mean a change of course for the company.
Ads in Samsung Apps – Images: Android Central
Ads on Samsung TVs
In the Benelux, Samsung shows advertisements on televisions. This concerns promotions for, for example, streaming services in the menu and they cannot be turned off. TM Roh, who is reportedly responsible for stopping ads in standard apps on smartphones, is not responsible for the company’s televisions and is specifically talking about ads in apps for smartphones.
It is also not obvious that Samsung will completely stop advertising in its products. The company has a complete business unit, Samsung Ads, that focuses on the sale of advertisements displayed on Samsung products.