Smartphones can be expensive, which is why many people finance their upgrades through carriers. While telecom companies should be commended for making smartphones affordable or even free in some cases, they, like any other for-profit entity are motivated by self-interest. This is the reason why they lay down some stipulations, such as requiring you to stay with them for the duration of the contract. That's understandable and bearable. What's harder to ignore, as many T-Mobile customers have experienced, is getting annoying notifications from the carrier that prompt you to download apps.
Carrier-locked phones often come with apps that cannot be uninstalled. And as if that's not irritating enough on its own, T-Mobile also sends you notifications to install more apps that you don't need.
T-Mobile users can't stand obtrusive notifications. | Image Credit - tmobile on Reddit
The most you can do to keep the pesky notifications away is disable the apps, such as T-Mobile Device Manager, that generate them.
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A more extreme step is only buying unlocked phones, but that would mean forgoing the discounts that carriers like T-Mobile offer.
Hey OP, on most of these phones there is an app called like Mobile Services manager, you have to disable that app and idk if it will prevent this popup, but it will at least make it so that way it doesn't download apps every update. Google Pixels are the only Android devices I know of that dont allow this stuff.
WAYZOfficial, Reddit user, October 2024
A middle ground that has been suggested by some Redditors is only buying a Pixel or an iPhone from T-Mobile. For some reason, Google's smartphones don't come with the same level of bloatware, if any, as other Android phones. Apple doesn't allow any bloatware on its phones at all. On the other hand, even the most expensive Samsung phones are not spared from carrier-branded apps.
The only Android that doesn't do this is the Google Pixel on T-Mobile. Close to the iPhone equivalent you can get
KDao18, Reddit user, October 2024
That said, having a minor inconvenience like carrier notifications dictate which phone you should buy isn't a very practical idea. If you can't stand carrier apps but aren't a fan of Pixel or iPhone, one option is to get your nerd hat on and use tools like Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to get rid of them, but this route isn't without its own risks.
The Federal Communications Commission is debating whether to impose a shorter, uniform unlocking policy across the board. T-Mobile, as you may have guessed has opposed the proposed law. While the FCC is at it, it might also consider making it illegal for carriers to install apps and send notifications that are not strictly necessary.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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